


One More Day

by darkrose705



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-03-30 04:01:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3922129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkrose705/pseuds/darkrose705
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Melody may not seem like the nicest person, but just wants to keep her group, Riley and Tabby, safe. It's been a little over two years since the outbreak. Reluctantly, they join a new group of men, that are just trying to survive. She never realized that joining with another group would lead them closer to the truth; what really caused the outbreak? And why?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Room for Six More

**Author's Note:**

> I know. Don't yell at me. I keep starting new stories. I'm really excited for this one, though. Here is the first chapter of my zombie apocalypse AU! (It's not original, but I'm still excited for it) Originally, I was going to post this in October (oooooh spooky) but I couldn't wait that long. I wanted to at least put out the first chapter. I'll post more chapters in October. If I reach a certain amount of views or kudos, maaaaaaaaybe I'll post the next chapter earlier. I would love it if people would comment their predictions and theories on how this is going to end.  
> I'm going to point out that a lot of ideas, names, and ect. of zombies may seem familiar to you. A lot of inspiration and research came from shows or games, so you may see similarities. I do not claim that I thought of this all by myself. I had to do some research.  
> I also want to say that since this is a zombie story... Well... there will be death. A lot of it. And there will be people dying that you think should be safe. I'm saying that up front. This will not be a happy story. Of course, there will be happy moments, but this is in a zombie universe. You have been warned.

I don’t remember the last time I talked to my family.

“Coast is clear.” I call out, letting my group know to come out of hiding.

It’s been even longer since I’ve felt safe. 

The orange sky daunts us as night is approaching. There are no signs of life on the roads. Abandoned cars are scattered around. The gas from the cars have been siphoned. Trust me. I’ve checked every single one. 

“Melody,” Riley calls ahead to me. “Wait, we’re leaving Tabby behind. Tabby,” Riley stops to help Tabby. She twisted her ankle this morning. But we can’t stop. We have to keep moving. We need to find more supplies. This town is completely depleted of what we need to survive. “I know it hurts, but we gotta keep up with Melody.” I can almost hear the spiteful tone. I don’t even have to turn around to know that she’s glaring at me. She doesn’t know. She doesn’t understand. I’m leading us through this. She doesn’t know what it’s like to make the hard decisions. Times have changed and so have we.

Why, you may ask? Imagine living in a hell where you used to have lots of friends and family and suddenly they turn into undead, flesh eating monsters. You can’t sleep very well, you can’t feel at ease, you’re constantly wondering to yourself when this hellish nightmare is going to end. Then, you remember that this isn’t a nightmare. It’s reality.

These… creatures… are what we used to call zombies. Of course, they have many names, depending on where you’re from. Biters, Infected, Rotters, Walkers, Lurkers; really, go ahead. Take your pick. My group and I have stuck to calling them Biters because, well… it’s what they do.

I can’t tell you how long it’s been since the outbreak. It’s been too long, if you ask me. Riley, Tabby, and I have been together since the beginning of the outbreak. They were acquaintances of mine and we were together when it happened. The old world seems like some kind of a distant memory. 

Tabby collapses to the ground. “I can’t keep going. It hurts too much,” She whines. “Can’t we rest?”

“We have to keep moving. We can’t stay any longer.” I reason.

“Can we at least stop when we find a secure building?” Riley suggests. “I think it would be best. We’ll have more time to walk tomorrow and Tabby can get some rest.”

She always has to find some way to oppose me. “Fine.” I sigh.

Riley is a stubborn red head, but I’ll admit, she’s gotten us out of a few bad spots. We don’t always agree on how things should go. One thing I can say about her is that she’s brave as hell. Riley is a natural born leader, but she lacks the ability to make the tough decisions. Despite the situation we’re in, her bright green eyes still shine with hope. She understands that things will take some time be the same way as it used to be, but she believes that the human race can make it through this terror. Maybe even find a land to escape these monsters. She believes that maybe one day, far into the future, life can rebuild itself.

Tabby is… well… She’s our weakest link. Our ravened haired friend is clumsy and a bit naïve. She believes that things will go back to normal, as if nothing happened. Honestly, I think she’s just in denial. No one could possibly be that stupid… Although she’s the dreamer of the group, she hasn’t been able to have a full night’s sleep in a few days. If she does manage to fall asleep, she jumps awake, screaming. Her amber eyes are sunken in. She’s not the only one who can’t sleep… we’re all tired. She’s just not good at hiding it like me and Riley.

Riley looks around. “Let’s check this building over here.” Riley wraps her arm around Tabby to hold her up. Tabby clings to Riley’s side, practically allowing Riley to drag her most of the way. I would like to make Tabby suck it up and walk, but if Riley gets tired, it will be her own fault.

I allow Riley to lead us to a safe area. I survey the small building before we settle in. It’s safe. For the night. We take shelter on the top floor. Taking higher ground is usually safer.

I put down my shotgun and backpack and started digging through it for our food rations. “Okay,” I gulp, trying to ease the lump in my throat. We don’t have enough rations for the three of us. “We all have enough for tonight,” I lie. “But this is it. After this, we need to find more food tomorrow.”

Tabby places down her sword and sticks out her hand. “Sounds good. I’m starving.”

Yeah, we all are, hon… “Here,” I hand Tabby our last granola bar. “Try not to wolf it down. I suggest having half now and saving the other half for breakfast.”

Tabby nods and takes a small nibble into her bar.

“Riley,” I toss a small bag of potato chips her way. “Here.”

Riley catches it, but doesn’t open it. She studies me as I zip up my backpack and move it aside. “Why aren’t you eating?” She asks as she sets aside her bow and arrow.

“I’m not hungry,” I shrug. “I’ll eat tomorrow.”

Riley is hesitant as she opens the chips and starts to eat. 

“Bleh…” Tabby grumbles. “I’m still hungry…” Tabby stares at the remainder of her granola bar.

“I know. But trust me, we don’t know how soon we’ll come across food. It’s better to save.” Riley explains.

Tabby sighs, pulling out her blanket from her green froggy backpack. “I know…”

“Tabby,” I kneel in front of her. “I’m going to wrap up your ankle now. Maybe it will feel better.” I take off my scarf and start tending to her ankle.

“Why didn’t we do that earlier like I suggested?” Riley growls. “If you listened to me, she wouldn’t be in so much pain now.”

“Well, nothing we can do about that now, right?” I shrug.

“Yeah, but what is your reasoning for that?” Riley continues. “It would’ve been easier if we took care of that right away. The longer she walks on it without support, the more damage there will be.”

“We didn’t have time to stop.”

“Well, you set us back a whole day,” Riley reminds me. “You were the one who wanted to keep going but by putting off Tabby’s ankle, you put yourself off schedule.”

“Guys…” Tabby mumbles.

“We’re not fighting, Tabby,” I shake my head. “There,” I finish wrapping her ankle. “Just try and get some sleep tonight, okay?”

“Okay.” Tabby nods. She lays down, using her backpack as a pillow.

I rise from my spot to step outside. Riley notices and follows behind me. “You didn’t have to come with me,” I peer down the balcony, to make sure nothing is on its way up. “Shouldn’t someone keep an eye on Tabby?”

“This won’t take long,” Riley leans on the fence, studying the ground below. “I want to talk to you about something.”

“Okay. Shoot.”

“What is our plan tomorrow?” 

“Well,” I think. “We’re going to do what we always do. Find a town, use the remainder of the resources and then leave.”

Riley crosses her arms and knits her eyebrows. “I think we need to have a change in plan…”

“No,” I shake my head. “There’s nothing wrong with that plan. We should keep doing that.”

“You’re not even willing to consider another option?”

“We have no other options.”

Riley pauses before answering. “We should find a group.”

“Absolutely not.” I scoff.

Riley begs. “You can’t even think about it? What if-”

“I said no,” I interrupt. “We don’t need another group. We have been doing fine on our own this whole time. Why change?”

She narrows her eyes. “It’s getting harder and harder to survive the longer we keep this up. We should seek out other people. Maybe we can help them and they can help us.”

“Do you even realize what you’re asking?!” I raise my voice. I glance around to make sure no attention is drawn. “What do you think will happen with more people?” I lower my voice. “You’re complaining how hard it is with just the three of us. Imagine a whole group. That’s more mouths to feed, more medicine wasted, and a bigger chance for betrayal. The small the group, the better.”

“You think everyone is a lost cause,” Riley accuses. “There are more people out there. They’re struggling. How can we have any hope for the world to change if we can’t be there to help it do so?”

“That’s just it. There is no hope. It’s not our job to save the world,” I remind her. “It’s our burden to survive.”

“If it’s such a burden, then why try so hard?” She mumbles.

“Are you trying to say I should just kill myself?” 

“That’s NOT what I’m saying!” Riley retorts. “But I’m making a point. You just contradicted yourself. You believe that there’s no hope, yet you struggle to survive. The fact that you want to survive proves that you believe in a better future. How can we possibly get to that future if we shut people out and don’t bother to help?”

“Okay, Riley,” I snap. “Let’s pretend we find a group. How will we feed them when it’s hard to just feed ourselves?”

“I can figure something out.” Riley starts to argue.

“What about shelter?” I continue. “It’s hard to be quiet and stealthy with a bigger group. Where can we hide? And what about medical supplies when someone gets hurt? Are you going to provide that, too?”

“I… uh… yeah. We would figure something out.” Riley stutters.

“Really? Oh, glad we got that settled,” I reply in a sarcastic tone. “Once we get a bigger group, there will be more room for error. Let’s pretend someone gets bitten. What do you do then, Riley?”

“We would try to make them comfortable-”

I cut her off. “You would waste medicine on a person that was bit? Isn’t medicine hard to come by enough as it is?”

“I… But…” Riley panics. “What are you doing?! Why are you giving me impossible situations?”

I take a step forward. “Showing you that good intentions are not enough anymore. Things are different now, Riles. I know that being kind and helping one another was okay in the old world. But Biters won’t give a shit if you’re kind or mean. You’re going to taste the same to them. In the end, you either survive, or you don’t. Kindness won’t help you now. You have to decide what’s more important; living, or being remembered for being “nice”. Understand?”

Riley gives me a cold hard stare before answering. “Perfectly.”

“Good,” I turn my back to her and lean on the railing. “Now, go back in and rest with Tabby. I’ll take first watch tonight.”

Riley places her bag of chips next to me. “I saved half for you,” She says in a low voice. “We don’t see eye to eye. You think kindness is a waste of time and I think you’re wrong. But, I would rather be hungry with a friend than be full and watch her starve.” Riley smirks. “Besides, you won’t be helpful to us if you pass out from hunger.”

I can’t help but smile. She knows me too well. I take the bag of chips. “Thank you…” I say as she walks back into the building.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Where are we heading?” Tabby asks, limping behind. “And how far is it?”

“If we follow this main road, we’ll hit a new town. Try and be patient, Tabby.” Riley explains. 

“Melody,” Tabby quickens her pace to catch up to me. “Is there any way we can stop by a firearms store when we reach the next town?”

Why is she asking that? “Of course we will. We always do. But first, we’ll look for a good shelter and food.”

“Okay,” Tabby nods. “Maybe I’ll find a nice gun.”

“Tabby,” I sigh. “We’ve been over this. You don’t need a gun. I got you a perfectly good sword.”

“But why do you get the guns? Even Riley is allowed to shoot.” Tabby argues.

“Because we know what we’re doing. Ammo is hard to come by, now a days. We can’t really afford to waste ammo by trying to teach you to shoot a gun.” I respond.

“Melody…” Riley jumps in.

“That’s bullshit!” Tabby squeaks. “If you noticed, I wasn’t asking your permission. I’m getting a gun whether you like it or not. You’re not the boss of me. I can do whatever I want!”

“Okay,” I shrug. “Let’s see how well you do without us.”

All color drains from Tabby’s face. “What?”

“Melody!” Riley scolds.

“Well, you said you could do what you want. You’re right. I’m not the boss of you,” I stop and stand in front of Tabby. I lean closer. “But how far do you think you’ll get without me or Riley saving your ass?”

“You wouldn’t leave me. Not out here all alone!” Tabb whines.

Riley steps in between us. “That’s enough,” She nudges me forward. “Let’s keep walking. You’re always going on and on about how we’re making you lose time, but you’re really wasting our time. Let’s just get to the next town before we run into Biters. We’re lucky we haven’t seen any yet.”

“You’re right.” I grumble. I hate it when she’s right….

I can hear Tabby whimpering behind me. I didn’t mean to threaten her like that. I know how sensitive she is. I would never leave either one of them behind.

“Hey,” Riley jogs ahead. “I see buildings!”

We catch up to Riley. “Welcome to Bronzewell.” I read the sign as we approach it.

“Bronzewell? Where is that?” Tabby tilts her head.

“We’re in Texas. Damn… Feels like just yesterday, we were still in New Mexico.”

“You think this will be a good stop?” Riley asks as Tabby and I catch up.

“I hope so. Did you see any Biters ahead?”

“Nope,” She shakes her head. “Everything was clear.”

“That’s very odd…” I scratch my head. “Don’t you think so? When’s the last time you spotted a Biter?”

“Like three days ago. So what?” Riley shrugs.

“They have to be around here somewhere. I want everyone to stay on guard,” I instruct. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt just because we got careless.”

They nod and draw their weapons, ready for anything.

Once we reach the town, the streets are empty. “This is so weird…” Tabby puts her sword down.

“Don’t drop your guard yet,” I warn. “Let’s look around. Look for some kind of convenience store or a place for weapons.”

I creep around the corner, making sure each step is silent.

I spot a gun shop. “Hey, this way.” I lead.

Inside, it appears all the guns are missing. That’s to be expected. It appears that most people missed the ammo hidden around the store.

Tabby sits off to the side as we search for the ammo. She knows she’s not allowed to deal with the weapons.

There appears to be one gun left. It’s a bb gun so it’s useless. It can’t kill anyone. “Tabby,” I walk over to her, handing it to her. “Here.”

“You’re letting me have a gun?” She grins.

“It’s a bb gun. You can practice shooting with this. When you’re ready, we’ll find you a real one.” I explain.

“Thank you.” Tabby hugs it close to her. She’s such a simple person. It doesn’t take much to get her in a better mood. I’m grateful for that. We need some kind of positivity in this world.

“Hey,” Riley whispers, looking out the window. “I see a gas station down the street. Let’s check for food.” 

We follow Riley to the gas station. She motions for us to stop moving. 

“What is it?” Tabby steps forward.

“Biters. Don’t move.” Riley hisses, setting up her bow and arrow.

I study the seven figures just a few yards ahead of us. It’s hard to see exactly what they looks like, but from their limp movement and crooked posture. I hold up my shot gun. “Need help?”

“That will be too loud. If there are any Biters hiding, they will be drawn out. I’ll take care of this.” Riley draws back bow and shoots in the direction of a Biter. She releases the arrow and it shoots into the head of a Biter.

“Nice!” Tabby praises.

Riley smiles with pride as she lines up the next shot. One by one, the Biters drop. “Alright, safe.” Riley waves us to move forward. We follow.

I get a closer look at all the Biters as Riley retrieves her arrows. Their gray, decrepit skin barely hangs onto the bone. The smell is even worse…

These used to be people…

“Why are these Biters tied up?” Tabby studies the bodies.

“What?” I didn’t even notice. “That’s weird… Why would someone do that?”

“Better question, how?” Riley yanks out the last arrow.

“Hey!” Tabby limps ahead into the gas station. “I see food!”

“Tabby, don’t wander off too far!” Riley calls after her.

“I’ll guard from the outside,” I hand Riley my back pack. “I don’t like this.”

“You don’t like anything.” Riley chuckles, taking my bag. 

“Grab whatever you think we’ll need. And keep an eye on Tabby. The last thing we need is another injury.”

“You know, you’re being really hard on her,” Riley shakes her head. “Maybe you can relax a bit?”

“I’ll relax when there are no Biters around to threaten our lives.” I narrow my eyes.

Riley stares back, challenging me.

A shriek cuts through the tension. It’s Tabby.

“See? She’s always getting into trouble!” I shout as we rush towards the gas station.

Riley swings open the door and I draw out my shotgun. Two men surround Tabby, guns pointed at us. Both men wore glasses. One is taller, a little bit chubbier, and has ginger hair like Riley’s. The second man is smaller than the ginger, curly auburn hair with freckles.

“Drop the gun.” The red head warns.

“Let go of our friend.” Riley demands.

“Oh, you’re with the thief? This is our place,” The other man rages. “We need to survive, too, you know! I’m sick of people stealing from us!”

“All we want is our friend,” Riley takes a cautious step forward. “This doesn’t have to get messy.

The man with red hair lowers his weapon. “What should we do? Being intimidating isn’t working!” I hear him whisper.

“Shut up!” The other man growls.

“Look,” Riley places her bow on the ground. I’m not stupid. I’m not dropping my weapon. Riley glances in my direction. “Melody,” She sighs. “Please.”

“If we die, I’m blaming you.” I grumble as I place my shotgun on the ground.

“See?” Riley waves her hands. “Friendly. We saw this gas station and thought we would check it out. We didn’t know anyone stayed here.”

“We just got into town,” I explain. “We’re practically out of supplies.”

“I don’t believe you,” The darker haired man cocks his gun. “If we let you go, you’re going to run back to your group and ambush us later. We’ve been through this before.”

“Michael, if we shoot, Lurkers will surround us before Geoff and the rest get back.” The ginger squeaks. “Maybe we should-”

“What?” He interrupts. “Let them go? You really want us to die, don’t you? We barely got away last time!”

“My name is Riley,” Riley takes another step forward. “That’s Melody,” She points back to me. “And our friend that’s cowering by your feet is Tabby. It’s just the three of us. We’ve been traveling together since the outbreak,” She explains. “We aren’t bad people.”

The ginger lowers his weapon. “No one is bad,” He says. “Just people trying to survive. I’m Jack.”

The other man looks between me and Riley, assessing the situation. “Jack, I don’t…”

“It’s fine,” Jack promises. “Why don’t we see what Geoff wants to do with them?”

“So you’re going to keep us hostage.” I cross my arms.

“Not hostage,” Jack defends. “We need the rest of our group to know what’s going on. You three are the first people we’ve met that hasn’t tried to straight up murder us.”

“May we move away from the front door?” Riley asks. “I don’t want to get shot by your friend there.” She nods towards the other man.

“This is Michael,” Jack introduces him. “Michael, it’s alright. Put the gun down.”

The man, Michael, hesitates for a moment before lowering his gun. 

“Would you ladies like some water?” Jack offers. “We have plenty. I would offer some food, but that all depends on how well our group did in the woods today.”

I refuse to drink their water. I’m thirsty, but I don’t trust these people.

“Oh, water please!” Tabby scrambles from the ground.

“I understand. It’s tough around here,” Riley nods. “Water would be wonderful. Thank you.”

Jack hands them bottles of water. “Here.” He hands me one. 

I didn’t ask for one, but it is bottled water. I suppose it’s safe. “Thanks…”

“So,” Riley says after a long gulp of water. “You’ve been attacked before?”

“Yeah,” Jack nods. “We’ve been pushed out of a few bases. You haven’t met any bandits yet?”

“No,” Riley shakes her head. “We don’t stay in places for long. And our groups is so small, we usually go unnoticed.”

“You know, you probably get attacked because you don’t hide your supplies,” I suggest. “Tabby spotted the food from a few feet away and she’s not the brightest person.”

“Hey!” Tabby frowns.

“Don’t tell us how to hide our supplies!” Michael growls. “We don’t need your help.”

“Now, Michael, she has a point,” Jack intervenes. “We should talk to the group about this.”

“Are you guys the reason those Biters were tied to a stake?” Tabby asks.

“Biters? That’s what you guys call them?” Michael snickers.

“Yes,” Jack answers, ignoring Michael. “We learned that the more Lurkers you have around you, the least likely you are to get attacked.”

“That’s a neat trick,” Riley nods as she sits down. “We can use that.”

“It’s not like we need to. We don’t stick around.” I remind her.

“But you never know. It could be useful to us one day,” Riley continues. “So, what made you guys settle in here?”

“Oh, this is just temporary,” Jack explains. “We’re looking for a strong house tomorrow. This was just easier to stay in because it’s close to the edge of town. It’s easier to reach the woods for hunting.”

“Smart,” Riley nods. “Melody, these guys know their shit. Maybe we could-”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” I warn. I don’t know if she wanted to ask for advice or to stay with them. Either way, I wouldn’t be happy.

The front door creeks open. A man with dark hair and a mustache trudges in. He has a tired expression on his face. He tilts his head when he notices my group. “Hello there,” He greets. “New friends?”

“Yeah! They’re friendly!” Jack nods. “Isn’t that great?”

“Oh, friendly, eh? My name is Geoff.” Geoff waves. “Who might you be?”

Riley hops off and steps forward. “I’m Riley.” She smiles. I’ve never seen Riley so happy. I guess she’s really glad to be around more people.

I remember when I used to be social. But that was in a different life…

“I’m Tabby!” Tabby springs up and shakes Geoff’s hand. “It’s really nice to meet you!”

Wow, I guess the whole crew was tired of being alone.

“Melody.” I rush out my introduction. We need to just leave. We can’t get attached to these people.

“Nice to meet y’all. The rest of my group is bringing in dinner. Would you ladies like to join us?”

Food… “I don’t know if that’s a great idea…” I turn down the invitation, earning glares from Tabby and Riley. They don’t understand. I’m just trying to protect them. We don’t know these people.

“I insist,” Geoff offers. “We have plenty. I’m sure you all must be tired. You can stay the night here with us. We have food and there’s a heater. You can figure out what you want to do tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Riley bows. “We’ve been walking for hours. We would love to stay the night.”

“Riley,” I pull her arm. “Group meeting.”

Riley and Tabby roll their eyes as we walk outside. “What is your problem?!” Riley shouts. “They have food!”

“We don’t know them,” I explain in a hushed tone. “They could drug our food. They offered us to stay the night? Look around. Have you seen another female in their group? We don’t know their intentions. I’m just trying to protect us.”

“We haven’t met the rest of them,” Tabby steps forward. “And who cares if there are no other girls? What do you think they will do?”

“Tabby, these men could be dangerous. I’m just thinking about our safety.” I reason.

“Okay, how about this,” Riley offers. “We meet the rest of the crew first. Assess the situation, then decide if we should stay.”

“If we stay, it’s just for the night,” I remind her. “I don’t want to stay permanently.”

“Think about it, Melody,” Riley presses on. “They can hunt. And if we stay, we have all kinds of man power to help us out.”

“So you’re saying we need men in our lives?” I raise an eyebrow. “I’m surprised.”

“No, I’m just being realistic. I’m all for girl power. But being honest, we don’t have all the skills that we should have. If anything, we can learn from them.” 

“I’m really hungry,” Tabby pulls on my jacket. “Can we please consider staying and eating?”

I look at Tabby with her puppy dog eyes. Damn it… “Okay,” I sigh. “Let’s meet the rest of the crew and maybe we can eat.”

Tabby claps and runs back into the gas station.

Riley looks in. “Looks like the rest of them are there,” Riley observes. They probably came in the back way.”

“Let’s just get this over with.” I grumble as we walk back in to meet the rest of the crew.

The whole group consists of six men. “Oh, here’s Riley and Melody.” Geoff introduces us as we walk through the door. I’m assuming Tabby introduced herself already.

A man with brown hair waves. “I’m Gavin.” He says in a thick British accent.

“I’m Ryan.” A taller man with light brown hair crosses his arms. His eyes lock on Riley. Uh oh…

“The quiet one in the back is Ray,” Geoff introduces. “He’s been with us a couple of months.”

The man steps out of the shadows. He has black hair, brown eyes that are hidden under is glasses, and tan skin. “Hey.” He says in a monotone voice.

“Now that everyone has met, I’ll get started on dinner. Every go ahead and get to know each other.” Geoff smiles. 

  Riley and Tabby sit on the floor with the group. I keep my distance. I still don’t trust this. It seems I’m not the only one not liking this. Ray is also staying back from the group.

They’re all chatting idly, as if there aren’t monsters outside, waiting to kill us all. How can they all be so calm?

“It’s been a while since we’ve met nice people,” Gavin bounces. “This is nice! Where are you all from?”

“California.” Riley answers.

“We’re from here in Texas. We’re trying to find a safe place to settle. It seems we keep getting pushed west.” Jack says.

“Noooo, don’t go west,” Tabby shakes her head. “It’s worse over there. It’s hotter and the Biters just smell worse. You might want to turn back.”

“We just want a safe place, so I guess it doesn’t matter if we head back.” Ryan shrugs.

“Where are you guys going to go now?” Riley asks.

“Don’t know.” Ryan bites his lip. “Where are you three heading?”

“We don’t have a plan. We’re just trying to survive.” Riley shoots a glare in my direction. 

“Hey, surviving is a plan. The longer you stay in a place, the more dangerous it is.” I shoot back. I don’t appreciate her trying to make me look stupid. 

“Melody, Ray,” Ryan scoots to make room. “Why don’t you guys join us?”

“No, thank you.” I shake my head.

Ray joins the group. “Nah, she’s too good for us, apparently.”

“Well, that’s rude,” I cross my arms. “You don’t even know me.”

“And we never will if you keep guarding yourself,” he replies, not looking in my direction. “We’re in a world full of Lurkers and thieves. Shouldn’t you drop the armor once in a while and come get to know other decent human beings?”

The room is quiet. I feel my face grow warm with embarrassment. No one talks to me that way. I know what’s best. No one should ever try to teach me anything… But damn it, he has a point…

I sit next to him, joining the conversation of the group.

Riley and Tabby stare at Ray with wide eyes. They know how I am. I don’t take direction from anyone.

This is the only time I’ll allow it. I want Riley and Tabby to interact with other people. I don’t want to make things uncomfortable by being stubborn.

Ray looks at me from the corner of his eye and smiles softly. “You know, up close, you don’t seem so stand- offish,” He comments. “You should try being friendlier.”

“I changed,” I respond. “We all have. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be alive right now.”

“That’s a good point,” Michael mumbles. At least someone understands me…

I sit the rest of the time in silence, observing the way everyone interacts with each other. Gavin seems to be the “Tabby” of the group. He’s uncoordinated and clumsy. Michael seems to be an angry person. I don’t know if that’s because of the situation, but it looks like he’s always been this way. Ryan seems to be the brains of the group. He has the most knowledge on survival. Jack seems to be the mother of the group. Making sure everyone is comfortable. He also has some kind of medical training. Jack helped stabilize Tabby’s ankle, and now I have my precious scarf back. I can’t see what role Geoff plays in this group since he’s making dinner. Perhaps he’s their leader. Every successful group has a leader. That’s how Riley, Tabby, and I made it this far. Ray… Ray seems to be a mystery. He’s kept to himself this whole time. He’ll laugh along with the others, occasionally throwing out a joke, but that’s it. This makes me more curious about him and what he’s been through. 

Tabby and Riley seem to fit right in. Maybe… it would be best for them to join this group. They don’t really need me anymore…

Geoff comes in, serving dinner. It’s soup with some kind of meat. I didn’t bother to ask, because honestly, it doesn’t matter now. Food is food. We all graciously eat.

“So,” Geoff says in between bites. “What are you three planning to do now?”

“Look for supplies and keep moving.” I answer, not giving Riley a chance to respond.

“You know,” Geoff swallows his soup. “We can always use more people. I’m not forcing you, but the offer is there. More people means we have a better chance to survive.”

“I agree.” Riley looks at me, looking for some kind of a reaction. 

“Why don’t we think about this in the morning?” Tabby says. “Can we have one day without a fight?”

“What’s there to fight about?” Riley puts down her bowl. “I think we should stay.”

I pause before answering. I would like to study these people some more. But this is not our plan. This isn’t what we do. We don’t mooch off of other people. We have come this far without help. “I’m not comfortable with that.”

“Melody,” Riley grits her teeth. “I’m trying to be patient. We should give this a chance. Look at how accepting they are. This may never happen again.”

“I’m not talking about this in front of everyone.” I get up, walking outside for some air. I’m not trying to be harsh. I just want things to stay the way that they are. Everything is working out for us so far…

I hear the door swing open. I turn to see who joined me outside. Geoff stands next to me, looking out into the distance.

“It’s been two years since the outbreak,” Geoff cuts in. “It seems you went through a lot.”

“Has it been two years already?” I sigh.

Geoff nods. “I won’t ask what happened. It seems that your friends really get along with everyone here. And everyone is trying to get to know you. We would really like it if you gave us a chance.”

“But why?”

“It’s hard to come across nice people… Our goal is to find and help as many people as we can. In the end, we all have to same goal; to survive one more day. That’s all we need.”

I suppose I don’t see anything wrong with this group. “… We will leave if something seems off.”

Geoff smiles and nods. “That’s understandable,” He holds out his hand. “Welcome to the team.”

I shake his hand. Something tells me that I’m going to regret this… 


	2. Into the Woods

“Wake up.” I feel a hand shake my shoulder. 

I squeeze my eyes shut. That doesn’t sound like Riley or Tabby. I pry my eyes open. I’m face to face with a man with glasses. I jump back in shock. Once I remember where I am, I realize Ray is sitting next to me. “Why the hell are you so close to me?” I hit him with my bag.

“Making sure you were breathing. I’ve been trying to wake you up for five minutes.” Ray shields himself from the bag.

“Okay, what task am I doing today?” I stretch.

“Task?” Ray tilts his head.

“I assume you guys get assigned certain jobs. What am I doing today?”

“Oh, all the important stuff is done already. We’re about to look for a house,” Ray gets off the ground. “Geoff figured you guys could use some extra sleep.”

“What?” I whip my head in the direction of my team. Riley and Tabby are still sleeping peacefully. Honestly, I’ve never seen them so relaxed. Especially Tabby. It seems like she didn’t have any nightmares. “You don’t think we can handle ourselves because we’re females, right?” I accuse. “We can pull our own weight around here.”

“No one said anything about that,” Ray defends. “This is how things work here. There is no set task that one person has to do. If we see something that needs to get done, we just do it. No one is forced to do anything. You help out in any way that you can. Geoff just noticed how run down you three are. It seems like you haven’t had a decent nights rest since the outbreak.”

He’s not wrong. It’s hard getting sleep when you’re worried about your group. I look around me. I notice that there’s an extra blanket on me. “Who’s is this?” 

Ray starts walking out of the room. “I don’t know,” He shrugs. “It’s someone’s. Just get your group up. We’re leaving soon.” He closes the door behind him.

I stand up, still holding the blanket. I wonder who gave this to me.

There’s a knock on the door, followed by Geoff entering. “I brought your food. Everyone else ate already.” He sets down some bowls. I’m assuming it’s left over soup from last night. 

“Geoff,” I take a deep breath. Perhaps… I was rude last night… “Thank you. For everything. It hasn’t even been a full day and you’ve been so kind to us. And all I’ve done is be untrusting. I’m sorry.”

“Stop that,” Geoff shakes his head. “You were just being cautious. I understand,” Geoff notices the blanket that I’m holding. “Ah, Ray’s blanket. He’s always losing his stuff,” He reaches out and takes it from me. “I’ll return it to him. Thanks for finding it.”

“Uh… no problem…” I say in a confused tone as Geoff walks out of the room. Why the hell did I have his blanket?

Tabby stirs awake, sniffing the air. “Food,” She sits straight up and nudges Riley. “Riley. Get up.”

“A few more moments.” Riley mumbles as she turns on her side.

If it were just the three of us, Riley would be awake, no questions asked. Why is she being so lazy now?

“Riley,” Tabby shakes her shoulder. “Come on.”

Riley gives a heavy sigh before sitting up. She locks onto the food. “Oh. Food.”

I eat in silence. So far, we haven’t been poisoned or drugged, and we were able to sleep in peace. I think we can trust these men… But of course, we can’t get too comfortable. I don’t intend to let this become a permanent arrangement.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that everyone is packed and ready to go, we leave the gas station. It’s odd walking around with six extra people.

“I’m glad we haven’t run into many Lurkers,” Gavin comments. “I need a break from them after that horde we ran into.”

“A horde?!” Tabby’s eyes grow wide. “How did you guys survive that?”

“We ran into a horde of Lurker’s in Aeravale. We had to wait a few days for them to pass.” Geoff answers. 

“Wow,” I guess Tabby is imagining the whole scene in her head. “That’s incredible!” She turns to Gavin. “You guys are really cool!”

“Oh, really? I mean, yeah. Thanks!” Gavin stutters. 

“I bet you guys can do anything! Can you teach me how to shoot? I have this lame BB gun,” Tabby comments. I feel a slight pang in my chest. I gave her that BB gun. I thought she loved it. “I need to learn so I can work my way up to a real gun.”

“Uh, Tabby, I was supposed to teach you-” I start to remind her.

“Sure!” Gavin cuts me off. It’s fine… I guess he didn’t realize I was talking.

“Hmm…” Riley scratches her chin. “If you guys ran into a horde, then maybe the west is safe from Biters. At least, for now. Think about it. You barely see them hanging around them.”

“That’s a smart observation,” Ryan interjects. “But I’m afraid I disagree. We have no idea what’s leading the Lurker’s to the east. That being said, we have no idea when they might turn back around.”

“Oh, good point…” Riley nods. “Maybe I was just being too hopeful.”

“No, no!” Ryan shakes his head. “Hopeful is a good thing! You know what, we see plenty of animals roaming about. It’s just that they’re difficult to catch because they stay far away. Maybe the wildlife is repopulating. So, that’s something to be hopeful about.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful.” Riley smiles.

“I guess…” I add. “What if animals-”

“Hey! There’s a subdivision up ahead!” Jack points. “Let’s see where we can find the biggest house.”

I trail behind, watching how everyone is interacting. Everyone is talking, laughing, smiling… It’s the same as last night. Riley and Tabby seem to be enjoying the new company. I’m starting to believe that this whole time, I thought I was protecting them, but in reality, I’ve been holding them back. I stop walking. 

Maybe, it would just be best if-

“What were you saying?”

I jump. I turn and find Ray standing next to me. I didn’t realize he stayed behind. “Huh?”

“You were saying something about the animals.”

“Oh,” I shake my head. “It’s silly. Almost negative, really. I was just thinking about why the animals are surviving more. Like, they’re difficult to catch. That’s a bad thing, right? What does that mean for us?”

Ray doesn’t answer. I open my mouth to retract my statement, when he finally nods. “Yeah. That was negative,” He adds before I could argue. “But right. Hunting is a huge part of how we survived this long. We need to sharpen our hunting skills if we want to make sure we can live.”

I feel almost relieved that someone listened to me and didn’t shoot me down.

“Ray, Melody! What are you guys doing?” Geoff calls from ahead. They managed to get a good distance in front of us. “Let’s go!”

We jog to catch up to the group. 

“Check that out,” Geoff crosses his arms, proud of what they found. “I think we found our new home.”

The houses in the area look pretty sturdy. Behind the subdivision, you can see a wooded area about a mile away. 

“We got a place to hunt, well protected shelter, and a walk into town is just a short twenty minute walk,” Geoff grins. “I’m starting to like to like the looks of this house over here,” Ahead, there was a brick two story house. “I think that should be big enough for us all.”

Riley grins. “See, Melody? Look at how well things are going! A group was a great idea.”

I’m still not convinced. “Yes, you were right, Riley. I was wrong.” It hurts to say this, but she’s so happy. Why should I try to argue with her now?

The group rushes ahead to inspect our new home. Tabby stops in the door when she notices I lag behind. “Come on, Melody. Don’t you wanna check it out?”

I shake my head. “I’ll go in later. I just want to keep an eye on things outside.”

Tabby shoots me a concerned look. “Just… be careful, okay?”

I nod and she retreats into the house.

“What’s on your mind?” Ray’s voice surprises me, once again.

“What do you mean?” I cross my arms.

“Either something is wrong, or you always look that angry.” 

“I am not angry!” I puff out my cheeks. I’m not! Worried… maybe. But definitely not angry. 

Ray walks up and leans on the railings of the porch. “It’s weird for you, right? Joining a new group, adjusting to not being in charge-”

“You know, I’d much rather be alone right now. Thanks.” I respond, coldly. 

“Really now? Ray raises an eyebrow. “You realize you’ll have to come in eventually. You can’t just stay out here.” 

“I could if I wanted to,” I cross my arms. “I’d be completely fine on my own!”

Ray shrugs and turns to walk into the house. “Okay. It was really nice meeting you, Melody. Don’t worry, I’ll let Tabby and Riley know what happened to you.”

The door shuts, leaving me outside. I grit my teeth. I really could be on my own. I don’t need them. There’s nothing stopping me from walking away right now.

But… I really should give this group a shot… For the sake of my team. 

I sigh before walking inside. The living room is almost in ruins. Furniture is crooked and flipped over, books tossed about, broken glass litter the floor, and blood is splattered throughout the room. It appears there was a huge scramble to get away from Biters. Ryan and Jack are trying to tidy up, to at least make it easier to walk around. 

“Hey, good to see you,” Ray smirks. “How was the world? Did you change your mind?”

That’s strike one. Two more, and I’m outta here. 

“Hey, Geoff!” Jack shouts up the steps. “How’s it look up there?”

“All clear,” Geoff responds. “There are three rooms up here. We picked the perfect house.”

“I feel so relieved,” Riley sighs as she settles on the couch that Ryan just flipped right-side up. “We were running for so long. It’s nice to finally settle down.”

“Yeah!” Tabby plops on the couch next to her. “Why didn’t we find a group sooner?”

“Ask Melody.” Riley glances at me from the corner of her eye.

That’s strike two… No, wait. I can’t do that. Riley has always been like that. “In case you forgot, I’m the reason we stayed alive this long.”

“Yeah, yeah we get it. We’re completely incompetent without you.” Riley rolls her eyes.

I feel my cheeks grow warm. Yeah, that’s strike two.

“I just checked the kitchen,” Michael walks into the living room. “Everything is gone. Looks like we still need to hunt.”

“That’s okay,” Geoff shrugs. “We were lucky enough to find this house.”

“I wonder what happened to the people that were here before.” Tabby wonders out loud.

I glance at the blood stained walls. “I don’t.”

“Anyway, I’ll go out hunting. Anyone want to come?” Ryan offers.

“I’ll go.” I step forward.

“I’ll go, too.” Riley nods.

“Okay. And don’t worry. I’ll make sure nothing hurts you.” Ryan smirks at Riley.

Riley returns the smirk. “I should be saying that to you, tough guy.” She nudges him and starts heading to the kitchen, where the back door is located.

“Anyone else?” Ryan asks.

“I can go.” Gavin starts to walk forward. 

Ray places his hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “Remember last time you went hunting? You almost got bitten by a Lurker. Let’s keep you here for this hunt. I’ll go. We need to scope out the area, anyway.”

Ryan nods. “Good, shall we get going?”

I follow behind Ryan and Ray. 

“Took you long enough,” Riley teases as we catch up. “So what are we hunting for?”

“Whatever you can catch,” Ryan answers. “It doesn’t matter what it is. If you catch anything, Geoff can try to make something out of it.”

“How did hunting go yesterday?” I ask.

“Fine.” Ryan answers.

“Actually…” Ray interrupts.

“Oh no,” Ryan groans. “I’m telling you it was nothing. Don’t go scaring the girls.”

“What happened?” I press on.

“As you know, hunting has become difficult in the past few weeks. Like, we still manage to catch an animal, but as time goes on, I’m noticing more dead animals. Bitten animals.”

“So, Biters are getting to the animals first.” Riley suggests.

“No… well, maybe… I don’t know how to say this,” Ray hesitates. “The bite marks were… different… Like, it didn’t look like a regular Lurker.”

“What does that mean?” Riley looks over to Ray.

“Probably nothing.” Ryan insists.

“You don’t know that,” I snap. “Stop trying to keep us out of the loop just because we’re female. We can handle ourselves. Well… At least Riley and I can.”

“Look,” Ryan sighs. “That’s not what I’m trying to do. I know you are more than capable of taking care of yourselves. I’m just trying to keep everyone calm.”

“Lying isn’t going to help do that.” I glare.

“You know, you sure like to jump down people’s throats.” Ray mumbles.

Is this about to be strike three already? “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just saying that you are so defensive. If you’re going to keeping being like this, then why bother staying-”

“That’s enough, guys,” Ryan interrupts. “We’re supposed to be hunting.”

I look around, realizing we are in the wooded area. “Looks pretty empty to me.” I comment.

“We haven’t even looked around,” Ryan gulps. I can see that he’s trying to remain positive. “We’ll find something.”

“Yeah,” Riley agrees. “We should split up.”

“Famous last words.” I mumble.

“I’m not saying we should go alone. I’ll go with Ryan and you can stick with Ray. Splitting up is only a bad idea if you’re going alone.” Riley reasons.

“Fine.” I nod. I start walking in the opposite direction. The only reason Riley wants to split up is so she can be alone with Ryan. I’m sure of it.

“You think they just wanted to be alone?” Ray chuckles.

Huh. At least he thinks the same way I do. He must be smart. “Yeah, my thoughts exactly.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t leave them alone,” Ray continues. “They probably will be too busy to hunt.”

“I wouldn’t joke like that. Riley knows better. She’s smarter than that.” I respond.

“You’re forgetting that we all have been alone waaaay to long. You three are the first women we’ve come across since the outbreak. Well… the first friendly ones, anyway.”

“I’m aware.” I say in a cautious tone.

“So, you know how it is. When being deprived so long-”

“I don’t know how it is,” I blush. “In a world like this, sex has to be the last thing we can think about. Surviving is more important.”

“I agree. But we’re only human.”

“Are you hitting on me?” I raise my voice.

Ray burst out laughing. “Don’t flatter yourself. If I was going to hit on someone, I’d make sure they weren’t as stiff as you. I can’t imagine you giving in to someone.”

“What is THAT supposed to mean?!” I shout. What is his deal?! One moment, he’s listening and being nice, and now he’s attacking me? “I’ve never been so insulted in my whole life!”

“What I mean is that you’re just so rude!” Ray shouts back. “I know that people changed after the outbreak, but I’ve NEVER met anyone so cold!”

“What about looters? I’m sure they are worse than I am.”

“At least they’re being mean to survive,” Ray snaps. “You’re a complete utter bitch for no reason!” 

“A bitch?!” I repeat. Strike three. “That’s fucking it! It hasn’t been a whole day and I’m so tired of everyone!” I continue. Ray’s face slowly begins to drop. “You all think you can do better than me? Fine! Do it! Let’s see how long Riley and Tabby can survive without me around. Their lives are in your hands now!” I start to storm off.

“Melody, wait!” Ray jogs after me.

A high pitched scream causes us to freeze in our tracks. 

“Was that Riley?” Ray asks.

My heart begins to pound. “I don’t know. But whoever it is, they need help.” I start running in the direction of the scream. What if it is Riley? What if she’s hurt? Did Ryan do something? Or maybe they found a Biter? No, it can’t be that. Riley can handle herself against one Biter. It has to be something.

“Ryan! Riley!” Ray comes to a halt when we arrive. “What… what the hell is that?” Ray gasps.

There’s a deer… only… it’s rotted and shambling about. It’s… like a Biter… only it’s an animal. Riley is trying to crawl away. It appears her leg is injured. Ryan is distracting the creature by shouting at it. 

“You don’t want her,” He taunts. “Come to me. There’s more to eat!”

“Melody,” Riley whispers as she scrambles to me. “That’s… that’s a Biter… of some kind.”

“I can see that,” I whisper back. “I didn’t know they effected animals.”

“We gotta go,” Ray pulls Riley up and she leans on his shoulder. “Ryan can handle himself.”

“No,” Riley tries to pull away. “We need to help. We don’t know what we’re up against.”

Ryan uses the butt of his rifle to bash the head of the creature.

“Look, he’s fine,” Ray whispers. “But we need to get away in case there are more.”

We rush towards the house. Riley frowns as Ray helps her limp away. I glance back. Ryan is no longer in sight. “Fuck…” I mumble under my breath. I steal a glance at Riley’s leg. Was she bitten? 

We stumble into the house, panting. 

“What happened?!” Geoff rushes to help Riley to the kitchen table. He pauses when he sees the trail of blood Riley is leaving. “Blood? Jack, break out the medical kit!”

Without a word, Jack springs up and rushes upstairs.

“Where’s Ryan?” Michael asks as he joins the group. I don’t respond. “Ray,” Michael narrows his eyes. “Where is Ryan?”

“He’s still out there.” Ray answers. 

“Is she bitten?!” Michael points at Riley.

“I’m right here,” Riley swats away his arm. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here. And no, I wasn’t bitten. You can ask Ryan when he gets back.”

“ _If_ he gets back.” Michael scoffs.

“Let’s all remain calm,” Geoff says in a soft voice. “Riley, if you don’t mind, I’m going to roll up your pant leg so I can inspect the damage.”

Riley nods. She winces as Geoff pushes up the cloth, revealing a deep gash. 

“Not bitten,” Geoff smiles. “At least that’s good news. Now, it looks like you need a few stitches and you should be all good.”

“Still hurts like hell.” Riley frowns.

“I suggest everyone clears out of the kitchen,” Geoff says as Jack returns with the medical kit. “I’ll take care of this.”

We file out of the kitchen and into the living room.

“What happened?” Tabby tries to peek into the kitchen. “Is Riley okay?”

“She’s fine, Tabby. Just a hunting accident. Why don’t you go back over with Gavin and talk?” I steer her away from the kitchen. She doesn’t need to see that.

Tabby nods and sits back down next to Gavin.

I glance into the kitchen. Geoff is sanitizing the wound before stitching her up. And Riley doesn’t look very happy about it.

“Hey,” Ray snags my attention away from the kitchen. “About what I said earlier…”

“Oh, you want to apologize? That’s big of you.” I admit.

“Apologize?” Ray scrunches his eyebrows together. “Oh no. I meant every word I said. But I’m sorry you got offended by the truth.”

“What an ass!” I shout, gaining Tabby and Gavin’s attention. “You really wanted to bring that back up? Look you, we have someone missing and my friend is injured. The only thing you need to say to me right now is “I’m sorry” or “Hey, Ryan’s back”.”

“Hey, Ryan’s back.” Ray looks past me.

“That’s not funny.” I glare.

“No, seriously,” Ray points. “Look.”

I turn around in time to see Ryan rushing through the back door, slamming it shut behind him. “So… Animals can become Lurkers, apparently…” He pants, trying to catch his breath.

“What?” Geoff tries to keep his attention on Riley’s injury. “That’s impossible. It’s been two years since the outbreak. Why have we never seen an animal Lurker until now?”

“I don’t know, but I know what I saw. Tell him, Ray.” Ryan nods towards Ray.

“It’s true,” Ray answers. “We got attacked by a Lurker deer. I don’t know how it’s possible or why, but there’s no other explanation.”

“I should’ve been an astronaut. At least there are no Lurkers in space,” Geoff grumbles. “Okay, so now what? What about food?”

“We can’t really depend on hunting. At least until we learn more about this.” Ryan suggests.

“We had some kind of meat yesterday, right? We already have it in our systems.” I remind them. “For all we know, it’s too late.”

“What?!” Tabby squeaks. “Is that true? Are we going to become Biters?”

“No,” I say in a calming voice. “I think we’re fine. This thing didn’t just happen. It couldn’t have. This must have been going on for a few months, at least. We just didn’t notice. I think it’s safe to say that as long as we are careful what we eat, we should be fine.”

“Stop scaring Tabby.” Riley scolds.

“Shouldn’t you focus on healing before you can try and yell at me?” I shoot back.

“Come on, guys! Let’s all calm down,” Gavin stands up. “Let’s not turn on each other. We still have to worry about lack of food.”

“Gavin’s right,” Geoff clears his throat. “Sure, we have rations for now, but that won’t last forever. We should see what’s in town.”

“Okay, but what about this house?” I jump in. “Are we going to stay here now that we know about the animals? Are they going to be a huge threat? I mean, they’re not very far.”

“I don’t see why we should leave,” Jack shakes his head. “We just got here. And those animals aren’t any more dangerous than a Lurker would be. I say we should give this place a chance.”

“And if the house fails?” I raise an eyebrow.

“We should try Violet Fields.” Gavin suggests.

The rest of the men look uneasy.

“Violet Fields?” Riley repeats.

“It’s a civilization,” Geoff explains. “We heard about it since the beginning of the outbreak. It’s a town in Louisiana that was taking in survivors. Last I heard, the town is still standing.”

“Yeah, it’s the only civilization that has managed to survive. Other towns were completely wiped out by the Lurkers.” Michael adds.

“So, what’s the problem?” Tabby asks.

“Well, you see, Violet Fields could just be a rumor. We don’t know if it’s still standing. How could it survive this long?” Ryan shrugs. “We were not going to make the trip to Louisiana just to find out that there’s nothing there.” 

“But it’s better than just wandering around without a destination, isn’t it?” Gavin points out.

Violet Fields…. I’m not liking the sound of that. Then again, I don’t trust anything. 

“I have a question, too!” Tabby raises her hand.

Geoff, being ever so patient, calls on her. “Go on.”

“If animals can become Biters, than is it possible that there are more creatures that we haven’t run into yet? What if there’s something… worse?”

The room becomes silent. I haven’t even thought of that. If we are just now encountering this problem, then what else is out there?

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Geoff and Michael ran into town. They came back with as much food as they could gather. Honestly, it wasn’t much. We have no choice but to try and depend on hunting, as dangerous as that sounds.

Tabby helps Riley limp into our new room. The men decided to let us have to master bed room. I’m perfectly okay with this. 

Ray passes me as he walks to his room. “Uh,” he stops, his back still turned to me. “For the record, I still think you’re a bitch.”

“Really?” I huff. “This again?”

“But, you’re not ugly, or anything. You’re kinda hot. Like, I’m sure someone would definitely want to bang you if you kept your mouth shut.”

“Boy, is that what passes for an apology here?” I roll my eyes. “I feel sooooo much better.”

Ray turns around. He bites his lip. “I still think you’re a bit mean. But… I didn’t mean to make you feel like I didn’t want you here. We all like having you three around. Just… I’m sorry.”

“Oh? What was that?” I lean in. “You said sorry? I’m I dreaming?” I smirk.

“Yeah, well, I apologized. So, try not to piss me off anymore, okay?” He grumbles before slamming the door behind him.

Fine. They’re all only on strike two. 

 


	3. A Birthday and a Reunion

“Come on, Geoff,” Jack begs. “Think this through! One wrong move, and it’s over.”

“Reconsider,” Ryan urges on. “Think about what it took to get this far. It’s up to you now. Don’t blow it!”

“I won’t,” Geoff hisses. “You just have to trust me.”

“What will it be, Geoff?” Ray smirks. “Make your choice.”

“You’re bluffing.” Geoff narrows his eyes.

“Am I?”

Geoff and Ray give each other hard stares from across the table. Jack and Michael lean in behind Geoff.

“… You guys are taking this game of poker waaaaaay too seriously…” I cross my arms. I’m surrounded by idiots.

“Hush! You’re ruining the moment!” Michael waves his hand.

Geoff’s eye twitches before throwing down his hand. “Four of a kind,” He smirks. “What do ya’ got?”

A grin spreads across Ray’s face. “Royal flush,” He spreads out his cards in front of the group. “Read ‘em and weep.”

“What?!” Geoff leans in on the table, staring with wide eyes at the cards. “That’s impossible!”

“Great,” Ryan groans. “Now we get the crappy bedroom…”

“Damn it…” Geoff grumbles. 

“Okay, boys,” Ray turns to Michael and Gavin. “We get the beds tonight.”

“We want a rematch!” Ryan declares.

I roll my eyes and walk into the kitchen with Riley. She’s tightening the string on her bow. “How many games of poker can they possibly play?”

Riley giggles. “They’re having so much fun, aren’t they? We should join in on a few rounds.”

“I’m garbage at poker, you know that.” I shake my head.

“Poker isn’t that hard. You just need to know your opponents weaknesses, keep a straight face, and hide your emotions. Hell, you do that better than anyone I know. How can you suck at poker?” Riley can’t help but laugh at her own joke.

“Funny,” I crack a smile. “Say, you happen to know what day it is?”

Riley tilts her head. “Does anyone really pay attention to that anymore? Why?”

I shake my head. “Never mind. It’s not important.”

Riley returns her attention to her bow. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Sure.” 

Riley hesitates before answering. A slight blush appears on her face. “What do you think of Ryan?”

“Ryan?” I peek into the living room. Ryan is banging his head against the table. Apparently, he just lost to Ray at poker… again. “He’s okay, I guess… I still don’t particularly trust any of them,” I shrug. “Why do you ask?”

“Uh….” Riley clears her throat. “I think he’s really nice. You remember before the outbreak, how nice it was to fall in love-”

“Oh, no,” I groan. “You can’t be serious.” This is going to be nothing but trouble...

“Come on, Melody!” Riley narrows her eyes. “You can’t tell me that you haven’t been curious about one of the guys. It’s been about two weeks.”

“Yeah. And I still don’t trust them,” I cross my arms. “I’m not going to let my guard down because of some stupid guy. And you shouldn’t, either. I thought you knew better than that?”

“What about Ray?” She mumbles.

“What about him?” I challenge. She better not be implying what I think she is.

“You’re telling me that you aren’t slightly intrigued by him? You talk to him the most. Plus, you guys have the most in common.”

“I wouldn’t call it talking. All we do is argue,” I remind her. “And what exactly do we have in common?”

“You both are the quietest in the group,” Riley nods. “Honestly, I noticed that he talks to you the most.”

“There’s that word again. I told you. We argue.”

“Okay. Fine. The reason I’m bringing this up is because Ryan and I might be together. I’m just giving you a heads up….” Riley pouts. “Also… I wanted your opinion as a friend…”

I sigh. “Well, you know I would never attempt to be with someone at a time like this… But I’m happy for you,” I add. “How are you even going to date?” I chuckle. “It’s not like you guys can even go anywhere.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Riley smiles. “I’m pretty sure he likes me… I’ll find a way to make this work. I mean, Gavin and Tabby does.”

“Gavin and Tabby?” I narrow my eyes. “What are you talking about?”

Riley points in the living room. “Haven’t you noticed?” She explains. “They have stuck together since they met. She hasn’t said anything, but I’m pretty sure they like each other.”

I glance in the living room. Tabby is sitting near Gavin. I look closer. They’re holding hands, sitting close together, trying to hide their hands. They fail, of course… But how could I have not noticed this sooner?

“So, everyone is pairing off. What is this? Middle school?” I scoff.

“Don’t be like that,” Riley stands up, putting her bow away. “We just want to be happy. Is that so wrong?” She walks into the living room. Ryan greets her with a smile.

"Since when did being happy mean being with a guy?" I mumble to myself.

I look back over to Tabby and Gavin. They’re off in their own world, talking softly to one another.

When did my group become so dependent on men? Why is this happening? I shake my head and walk out to the back door. I need some air…

Cold wind whips my hair back. It must be around September or October. I take a deep breath. What Riley said really bothers me. How could she assume that I like Ray? He’s a pain in the ass. He’s mean, he likes to embarrass me, he laughs at my failures, and he’s attractive…

Wait… That’s not supposed to be in the list…

Okay, Melody… Let’s really consider what it would be like if we became weak, and gave into Ray. It would be an absolute mess. He would just be a huge bother. We would never agree on anything. Trying to be with Ray will just be one big headache. 

Now… Try and imagine waking up one morning and not hearing him argue. It would be… weird… That asshole is already in my life. I can’t imagine what it would be like not hearing his snide remarks… or seeing that cute face…

The door creaks open, breaking me from my thoughts. I turn around. Ray closes the door behind him and he stands next to me. “What are you doing? You’re going to catch a cold.”

Of course it would be him. “My leather jacket is warm enough. Don’t worry about me. What do you want?” I push away all thoughts of Ray. 

“Just checking on you,” He shrugs. “I need a reason to talk to you now?”

“I’m just wondering what fight you’re going to pick with me today.” 

“You start it,” He smirks. “I’m a nice guy. I don’t fight with anyone. You like to start shit.”

I frown. “I do not,” I cross my arms. “I’m offended.”

“When are you not?” He chuckles. Before I can argue, he adds. “Anyway, I was about to head into town. Is there something you wanted me to look for?”

“A cure for the outbreak?” I smirk. “I guess I don’t need anything… Oh, maybe a calendar?”

“Calendar?” Ray fishes for something in his pocket. “I have this,” He hands me a small pocket calendar. “I’ve been keeping track of the days. It’s good for about three more years. You want it?”

“No, I just want to see what day it is,” I take the calendar from his hands. It’s September 8th. “I thought so. It’s my Birthday…” I hand him back his calendar.

“Really?” Ray slides it back into his pocket. “That's kinda cool..." He says. I wonder what he means by that. "Well, Happy Birthday, Melody. How old are you now?”

“Twenty four,” I answer blankly. “I suppose it’s not important. It’s just I had a feeling.”

“I get that. Hey, want to come with me? I could use some help going into town.” Ray offers.

“Get out of the house for a bit? Sure. Who else is going?”

“Just us. Everyone else is going to start getting dinner ready.” Ray starts heading inside. I follow behind him. “Okay. Anyone else have any last minute requests? I’m about to leave.”

“Oh, wait.” Ryan stands up. He walks over to Ray and whispers something.

A small smirk appears on Ray’s face. “I’ll take a look. I’ll get some for Gavin, too.”

“Take a look for yourself, too. I’m sure you’ll need it.” Ryan steals a quick glance in my direction.

I don’t like that look. What exactly did he ask for?

“Shut up,” Ray laughs as we head out the door. “We’ll be back.”

We start walking down the street in silence. “What exactly did he ask for?” I ask.

“It’s not important,” A small grin appears on his face. “So, I’ve been thinking a lot about the world before the outbreak. I remember how much I used to love video games,” Ray comments. “I never thought I would survive something like this, yet here I am.”

“Yeah?” I don’t get the point of thinking about the past. It’s not like it’s going to be like that again.

“Do you ever think about it? You ever remember how it used to be?”

“I try not to think about it… Of course… There are times when I think about my family,” I admit. I know they probably didn’t make it. I just wish… I wish I was able to talk to them before they died. I wanted to tell my mom that I was sorry. “It doesn’t matter, though…”

“What were you like before all of this?” Ray asks. “I’m sure you weren’t as much of a bitch.”

I’m getting used to him calling me a bitch. I still don’t like it, but now I know he’s only saying that to piss me off. I won’t give him the reaction he wants. “I suppose I wasn’t. I used to be really outgoing. Making new friends was a daily occurrence for me.” 

“I can’t see that happening,” Ray shakes his head. “Did you like video games?”

“Not really. I never played them. I was always too busy partying, or taking pictures.”

“So you liked photography.” Ray states.

“Yeah,” I nod. “Every picture freezes a moment in time forever. I used to imagine that every picture I took had its own little universe, where the subject of the picture lives happily in that moment. I loved trying to savor every moment. Now… I can’t stand the idea of that. If I take a picture now, with Biters walking around, all I would think about how I created a world of misery…”

“That’s weird.” Ray comments.

“I know,” I sigh. “Photography was something I loved. Now, I can’t stand the idea of it.”

“You wouldn’t even pick up a camera now? Why not?” Ray continues. “I think it’s important to keep a hobby, especially now. We need something to keep our minds off of this hell.”

“We can’t afford to be distracted, Ray,” I remind him. “One wrong move, and we die.”

“Well, aren’t you Ms. Positivity,” He teases. “Who cares? We’re all going to die eventually.”

“Well, with that attitude, I guarantee that I’ll live longer than you.” I smirk.

“That’s fine,” Ray shrugs. “Why would I want to live a longer life if I’m going to be boring, anyway?”

Valid point. But I disagree. “Let’s just get into town.” I roll my eyes.

\---------------------

“Got everything?” I flipped on my backpack. I managed to find some more medical supplies. Lucky us.

“Hang on,” Ray calls from the family planning aisle. Wait… Why is he over there?

“What are you looking for?” I ask, approaching the aisle. I frown when I see Ray stuffing his bag with boxes of… condoms. “Really?” I growl. My face begins to grow warm. I have no idea why.

“Hey, I don’t judge. I’m only getting this because Ryan said so.” Ray shrugs. This man has no shame.

“Unbelievable,” I scoff. “All men are really the same.”

“What? Responsible?” Ray snaps. “Let’s look at the facts. Ryan and Gavin kinda have a thing for your friends. It was bound to happen. At least they are being considerate.”

“The considerate thing would be to keep their perverted hands to themselves,” I huff. “What is wrong with you people? We’re in the middle of an apocalypse and everyone trying to get laid!”

“God, is passing judgement all you can do? It’s been a while for them! There’s nothing wrong with doing what you gotta do.” Ray defends.

“And why did Ryan tell you to get some for yourself? I sure as hell hope he didn’t think we were going to do something. I’m in control of my emotions.”

“What emotions?!” Ray shouts. “You’re just some uptight bitch! You know, I think you’re just jealous that no one wants you.”

I’m taken back by his words. No one wants me, huh? Strike three. I adjust my backpack.

Ray’s eyes widen once he realizes what he says. “Oh… Wait, I didn’t mean-”

“Save it.” I snap, turning to walk out the door.

“Melody, I’m sorry.” Ray calls behind me.

I ignore him. I shove the door open and stomp outside. Fine. Since no one cares, I can just take all the supplies I found and support myself. They can all enjoy their stupid orgy or whatever they have going on at that house.

A low groan catches my attention. Crap…

I look to the side. There’s a Biter heading my way. Not a huge deal. All I have to do is run around it. I feel something yank at my ankle. Before I can react, I’m being pulled down by another Biter. It appears that it lost its legs.

I wiggle free and scramble back up, only to be greeted by another Biter. Damn, they’re everywhere today. 

I hear a gunshot coming from the general store. Ray…

I rush back in. Ray is shooting at five Biters. I whip out my shotgun, helping him take out one. Since we’re already shooting, I point the gun outside, taking care of the three Biters that were waiting for us. “You had to shoot them?” I roll my eyes. “You couldn’t think of any way of taking them down?”

“It brought you back here.” Ray smirks. “You know, it’s been quiet in this town. That’s the most amount of Lurkers I’ve seen here. Let’s get back to the house before more Lurkers come to investigate the noise.”

“I’m not going back with you,” I shake my head. “Just because I came back to check on you, doesn’t mean I forgot about what you said.”

“Oh,” Ray cocks an eyebrow. “So, if you felt wanted, then you would stay?”

“I never said that!” I shout as Ray steps closer. I back up until I feel the cold wall behind me.

Ray leans in, resting on his arm on the wall. “That’s what it seems like.”

“You’re annoying!” I try to remain tough, but I can feel myself begin to blush. Damn it, you can’t look tough when you’re cheeks are glowing.

“You know, if that’s the issue, I can show you that you’re wanted.” Ray says in a sultry tone. He leans in. I gulp as his inches closer. My heart begins to pound. Was Riley right? Is Ray interested in me? For the first time in two years, can someone really be interested in me? I guess it’s not so bad… Maybe I could give this a try? He suddenly pulls back, smirking. “You should see your face! Did you think I was serious?”

Now, blushing with embarrassment, I kick his leg. “What’s that supposed to mean?! Next time it will be a kick straight to the groin!” I shout as Ray doubles over, clenching his leg.

“Okay, I deserved that.” He groans.

“Let’s go home, stupid.” I stomp out, once again. I was really about to let that happen? Why? When the hell did I get so weak? I do NOT need Ray. I’m not interested. Not at all.

Moments later, Ray catches up to me outside the general store. “You’re coming back after all?” 

“Someone has to stick around to make sure Riley and Tabby don’t get out of hand. If they want to fuck around, that’s their business. But I need to make sure they don’t get hurt.” I explain as we start our walk.

“For someone who’s not supposed to care, you watch after them a lot. Maybe you do have a heart.” Ray teases.

“I really can’t stand you.” I growl.

Ray pauses to inspect one of the Biters I shot. “Oh, shit…” He whispers. I almost didn’t catch it.

“Something wrong?” I peer over his shoulder.

Ray doesn’t answer. He crouches down to the Biter, reaching into its pocket.

“Gross. What are you doing?” 

Once again, my question goes unanswered. Ray pulls out a pocket knife. “I knew it…” He mumbles to himself.

“Hello? Am I suddenly invisible?” I ask. “Who was that?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it…” Ray sighs and we continue walking back to the house. “You know,” Ray continues. “I’m glad you’re coming back with us. If you would have left, I wouldn’t have time to give you this,” Ray holds a small box in his hands. He holds it out to me. “Here.”

“What is it?” I ask.

“Just take it before we get back to the house.” Ray says with slight irritation.

“I don’t want it.” I turn my nose up at the box.

Grumbling, Ray forces it into my hands. “Jeez, just take the damn thing.”

“Fine,” I pout. I open the box. There’s a necklace with an obviously fake diamond. “What the hell?”

“It’s a Birthday present,” Ray grumbles. “It was the nicest looking thing in the store. I’ll get something better once we see a jewelry store or something.”

“But I hate jewelry. This is a dumb gift.” I lie. It’s actually really thoughtful. And I like necklaces. Before the outbreak, I liked shiny things. I know, I’m such a girl.

“Fine, then,” Ray frowns. “You don’t have to wear it. I don’t give a fuck. I just figured you would want something for your Birthday.” Ray walks ahead a bit.

A smirk to myself knowing that I succeeded in upsetting him. Riley was right. I am very good at keeping a straight face. While he’s not looking, I put on the necklace. It’s a generic, cheap looking thing, but I wouldn’t trade it for any other gift.

I jog to catch up with Ray.

“I couldn’t find a camera,” Ray comments. He still hasn’t noticed that I’m wearing the necklace “I was sure there would be a disposable one somewhere, but I didn’t find any. That’s what I really wanted to get you.”

“A disposable camera would be useless. Where would I get the pictures developed, stupid?” I giggle.

“What an evil giggle,” Ray grins. “I’m trying to be nice and you’re turning me down,” His eyes are drawn to my neck. “I thought you hated the necklace.” He teases.

“I do, but you know, it’s something.” I shrug.

“Oh.” I hear the disappointment in his voice.

Thanks, Ray. I’ll never say that out loud.

We make it back to the house. Ray doesn’t say another word to me. Perhaps, I made him a bit too angry…

“Okay, Geoff, we found some ammo,” Ray tosses the ammo to Geoff. “Jack, I found some spices. I couldn’t find exactly what you were asking for, but maybe it will help.” Ray tosses Jack two small bottles.

“Hmm. I’ll see what I can do.” Jack retreats into the back yard, where the fire is set up.

“I found a lot of medical supplies.” I empty out my bag.

“Great! We can never have too much of this.” Geoff nods.

“Ryan,” Ray hands Ryan a bag. “Your stuff is in there.”

I roll my eyes. I can’t believe he actually asked for condoms. That shouldn’t even be important right now.

“There were some Lurkers in town. Eight of them.” Ray informs the group.

“Hmm, well, we’ve seen worse. I guess that just means Lurkers are starting to come back in this area. It was a nice break without them.”

“One of the Lurkers was Tom.” Ray blurts out. He almost sounds like he didn’t want to tell them.

The room gets quiet. Ryan stops dead in his tracks.

“Are you sure? Maybe it was someone that looked like him?” Gavin offers.

Ray doesn’t answer. He pulls out the pocket knife that he took from the Biter. 

Geoff takes the knife. “Ah… This was Tom’s. There’s his name inscribed on the handle.

All the color drains from Ryan’s face. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

“Who’s Tom?” I ask.

“Was there anyone else with him?” Geoff asks, ignoring my question

Ray shakes his head. “No…”

Ryan’s breathing becomes ragged.

“Hey, that’s good, right? That means that’s they got away.” Gavin tries to comfort.

“No, you idiot!” Ryan snaps. “It’s not good! Because now we don’t know where they are!”

“Take it easy!” Geoff shouts. “Ryan, calm down.”

Ryan takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry.” Ryan fixes his eyes on the ground. “It’s just… it’s been so long…”

“We know, buddy.” Geoff says, softly. 

“What are we talking about here?” Riley steps forward.

Ryan hesitates. “Uh… It’s complicated…”

“I think we should know,” I cross my arms. “It’s not fair. There shouldn’t be secrets in this group.”

“Melody.” Riley frowns.

“What?” I shrug. “I think we should know what’s happening.”

“Fine,” Ryan glares at me. “You want to know? I’ll tell you… Tom was an old friend of mine. He used to be in our group. Along with my wife, Sara and my son, Eric.”

Riley takes a step back. “Wife?”

“Ex-wife, I should say,” Ryan corrects himself. “They left the group about a month after Ray joined us…. Uh… I learned… something…”

“And what was that?” I press on.

“Sara has been cheating on me with Tom for years. Eric wasn’t even my son,” Ryan admits. “All that was going on right under my nose.”

My throat runs dry. I know this situation too well...

“Oh, Ryan…” Riley places her hand on his shoulder.

“If it’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s dishonesty,” Ryan bites his lip. “Eric is still my son. I raised him. I just want to make sure he’s safe.”

“We should look for him,” Riley offers. “If Tom is dead here, maybe Eric is still in town, hiding.”

Oh great. Just what we need. More people, and more drama. Especially with this situation. I don’t want to be reminded… I’ve spent so much time just trying to forget…

“That’s not a bad idea,” Geoff nods. “If Eric is still around here, we will find him.”

“And if he’s not?” I begin to argue.

“Then we move on until we find him,” Ryan adds. “I thought he was still with Tom and Sara. I don’t think Sara is able to handle herself. We need to find Eric.”

“Cool. Now we have a goal. Whoop de do.” Michael rolls his eyes. 

My sentiments exactly, Michael.

“Guys, food is almost ready!” Jack calls from outside. “I need some help bringing it in!”

The group starts wandering to the back yard. I start to follow. A hand is placed on my shoulder. “Got a second?” Ray asks.

Of course it would be you.

“Whatever it is, can it wait for tomorrow? There’s already a lot of shit to comprehend.” I shake my head.

“Why did that story upset you?” Ray asks, bluntly.

I look away. “What are you talking about?”

“Ryan brought up his ex-wife and old friend. You looked upset. Why did that story bother you?” Ray doesn’t even flinch.

“Ray,” I sigh. I’m in no mood to argue, deny, or lie. I just want to forget everything. “Now is really not the time.”

I expect Ray to continue to press for more information. “Okay.” Ray nods.

“Okay?” I repeat. “That’s it? Where’s the protesting?”

“I’m not you,” He smirks. “You don’t want to talk about it, I sure as hell won’t make you. I just…” Ray pauses, trying to pick his words carefully. “You’re very easy to read. At least, you are to me. I’m able to notice certain things that the others don’t. And from what I saw, I’ve never seen you like that before. I care about you, Melody. And I want you to know that I’m here to listen if you need me.”

“I don’t need anybody,” I remind him. “I’m fine on my own.”

Ray doesn’t flinch or argue. He just stands there, looking back at me with soft eyes. “I know. Just understand that the offer is there. I care about you, Melody.” He smiles.

That fucking smile.

That’s it. That did it. My heart begins to race, my blood seems to rush within my body. I’ve never felt this before. This type of anger is so strange. It almost… doesn’t feel like anger.

What is this feeling, exactly?

“What did you do to me?” I narrow my eyes.

Ray looks confused. “What?” He starts to chuckle. “Are you okay?”

“Stop. Whatever it is. Just stop.” I frown. I can’t seem to control my breathing. I walk away, to help bring dinner inside the house, leaving Ray in the living room, with a confused look on his face.

This isn’t making sense to me. Ray leaving his blanket for me, always checking on me, my Birthday gift… Why is he so kind, yet infuriating? 

Could it be that I somehow slipped up? Did I actually start having feelings for him? No… don’t be stupid. That can’t happen. There’s no time for romance in a world like this. This is just going to have to be ignored.

\--------------------

I managed to stay silent throughout dinner. 

“You know, I never asked how you all met.” Riley thinks out loud as the food is getting put away.

“It was just by chance,” Geoff answers. “When the outbreak happened, we all just kinda got together to survive. We didn’t know each other before it.”

“We had a few people that joined us,” Jack continues. “Some people split off, we had a few friends die. But us five have managed to stay together. Ray kinda just tagged along one day. We let him.”

“There was some drama in my old group,” Ray explains. “So, I left. It’s much more relaxing with these guys. Well, it was until you showed up.” Ray smirks in my direction.

“I swear, keep talking, and there will be a fork through your neck.” I wag my fork in Ray’s direction. Feelings or not, he’s still an ass.

“Ah, there’s our Melody,” Geoff smiles. “We haven’t heard a peep outta you.”

“I never really talk. I don’t see why tonight should be different.” I shrug.

“You’re right. But you usually threaten Ray’s life about fifty times before we finish dinner.” Geoff continues. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s September 8th.” Ray states.

“Oh!” Tabby exclaims. “It’s your Birthday!”

“Oh, shit, that’s right!” Riley says. “Is that why you were asking about the day?”

“Aww! Happy Birthday, Melody!” Jack nods.

“Hey! Let’s sing Happy Birthday!” Geoff suggests.

“Nonononono, that’s not necessary-” I start to argue. But it’s too late. Everyone is now singing. I shoot a glare in Ray’s direction. That stupid smirk still rests on his face as he sings. “Thank you, everyone.” I mumble as everyone finishes the stupid Birthday song. I can’t keep up with these people. 

 


	4. Moving Day

“Guys, we have a problem…” I announce as Geoff, Ryan, and I walk back into the house.

“Did you find Eric?” Gavin asks.

“No…” Ryan looks away. We searched for a while before we got attacked. There was no sign of him.

“Listen,” I huff. “We have bigger problems. Those Biters are seeming to get faster.”

“What do you mean?” Riley interrupts. “Biters are slow as hell.”

“We were just in town. We got chased by four of them. Chased,” I emphasized on the word. “They were running at us.”

“Why are they suddenly running now?” Riley ponders.

“Maybe they want to catch up to their dinner?” Tabby laughs nervously. 

“That’s not funny.” I scold.

“On the bright side,” Geoff intervenes, trying to keep the peace. “We found some seeds.” He digs out the seed packets he found.

“Seeds? How are those helpful?” Riley steps forward to inspect the seeds.

“You know how much land we have in the back yard?” Geoff grins. “We can plant some food. Then, we won’t have to worry about hunting.”

I narrow my eyes at Geoff. “Are you implying that we’re staying here forever?”

“Why not? It’s safe.”

“No, it’s not! Have we forgotten about the Biters?!” I remind him. “They’re starting to show up more and they’re getting faster.”

“So?” Ray shrugs. “You think it will be better out there? Lurker’s are going to be around no matter where you go. I’m not saying we should stay forever, but for now, this is the best chance we have.”

“So, we’re all going to ignore this?” I cross my arms. 

“I agree with Melody,” Michael steps towards me. “While I like the idea of having our own food to grow, planting will only keep us here. And if it’s getting unsafe, I don’t know if staying here is the best idea. Maybe a place with higher ground would be best.”

“It’s not safe anywhere!” Gavin argues. “This is our life now. We just have to learn to deal with this and make the best of things.”

I shift my weight to the wall. “You weren’t out there,” I say in a low tone. “Doesn’t this bother you at all? Suddenly, we have animal Biters and Biters that run? What’s next? If everything is coming at us, anything can happen.”

The front door creeks open and I instinctively ready my shotgun. A man walks in, but he’s not part of our group. He briefly looks surprised. I assume he was expecting the house to be empty. He removes his hat, revealing his brown hair. 

“Hi.” He nods and sits on the couch next to Tabby. 

I grip my shotgun. “Who are you?”

“The name is Caleb,” he introduces himself. “It’s nice to meet you all. I didn’t expect everyone to be back so soon. I was just going to wait until you returned.”

“Sure. You were looking to take our supplies.” I accuse.

“Trust me. I’m not the one you need to be worried about.” He mutters.

“What?” I narrow my eyes. What’s that supposed to mean?

“Where’s your group, Caleb?” Geoff asks, sitting next to him.

“I’m usually alone. I hop from group to group,” He says. “I just left my last group, actually. They were a little too hostile for my taste.”

“So you’re a drifter,” Geoff adds. “What brings you here?”

“Yeah. Because we don’t need any more people.” Michael warns.

Geoff silences Michael with a stern look. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

“I’m here to warn you all. You seem like nice people. I didn’t want something bad to happen to you.”

“Explain.” I walk closer, shotgun still pointed at him.

Geoff gestures me to lower my gun. With reluctance, I obey. I still don’t trust this guy.

“The group I was just in had a bit of a target on you,” Caleb explains. “They are bandits. They want this house, your supplies, and whatever else they can take.” Caleb redirects his attention to me, Riley, and Tabby.

“I won’t let them hurt us.” I growl.

“There are about twenty men. I don’t think you can stop them,” Caleb shakes his head. “They have been observing you guys for three weeks now. I couldn’t take it over there. So, I left.”

“See?!” I exclaim. “We can’t stay here! We’re a giant target!”

“Hmm… do you know when they’re going to strike?” Geoff asks.

“You’re safe. They have a long way before they attack. They’re waiting for you guys to go out again. When you come back, then they were going to ambush you.” Caleb explains.

“Oh, so pretty much like you, huh?” I accuse. “You did say you were going to wait for us to get back.”

“I’m not out to hurt anyone. I’m harmless.” He insists.

“Why are you telling us this?” I question. “What do you want out of this?”

“Why would I let innocent people get hurt? I’m here to prevent it,” Caleb looks offended. “There are Lurkers everywhere. If I let you guys die, then I’d be no better than them.”

“Lurkers, eh? You from Texas, by any chance?” Geoff chuckles.

“I was in Texas when the outbreak happened, yes,” Caleb smiles. “Why? What do you call them?”

“We call them Lurkers. Those three,” Geoff points to me, Riley, and Tabby. “Call them Biters.”

“Biters? Really?” Caleb chuckles. “Well, honestly, I’ve heard worse names. What do you call Creatures? The animal Lurkers?”

“We never had a name for it. Creatures seem to fit them.” Geoff answers.

“Nasty things.” Caleb shakes his head.

“Can we all focus back on the fact that there’s a group planning to attack us?” I growl. “Geoff, this place is not safe! We have to leave.”

“Okay. I’m convinced,” Geoff nods. “What does everyone want to do?”

“Pack up and leave now.” Michael suggests.

“What about Eric?” Ryan reminds us.

“And the fast Biters.” Riley jumps in.

“Ahh, Sprinters.” Caleb nods.

“What do you know about those?” Geoff asks.

“Just that they’re fast. I came across a couple of them before. They are not fun. Usually, when those are around, a herd is not far behind.” Caleb explains.

“A herd?!” I yell.

“Christ…” Jack mumbles.

“We’re fucked.” Michael adds.

“Now, hang on!” Gavin shouts over the low murmur. “There has got to be a way around this.”

“Geoff, my boy might be out there!” Ryan panics. “If we are going to leave, we need to check around one more time.”

“We don’t even know if he’s out there for sure!” I argue. “It might be too late! A herd is probably heading this way and we can’t escape it!” 

“So, we got bandits, Creatures, Sprinters, and a herd… Sounds like the beginning of a really bad joke.” Tabby whimpers.

“Everyone, hush,” Ray catches everyone’s attention. “I know. This is a bad situation. But what we need to do is tackle each problem one at a time. Caleb, are you sure that a herd is on the way?”

“Every time I’ve had an encounter with a Sprinter, a herd followed not far behind.” Caleb answers with confidence.

“Okay,” Ray nods. “So, we’re sure about the herd. Now, what about the bandits? What does everyone want to do about them?”

“What’s there to do?” I jump in. “We can just leave and never come back. They can have this stupid house!”

“I’m not going anywhere without my son!” Ryan shouts.

“We don’t know if he’s here!” I argue. “If you want to waste time looking for a boy that might not be here, then don’t waste our time!”

“It is safe to say we can’t stay here,” Geoff looks at Ryan with a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry.”

Ryan frowns. He wants to argue. But what can you really say?

“I’m sure Eric is safe. I don’t think he would stay around here.” Geoff reasons.

“So, you’ve dealt with herds before,” Ray changes the subject. “What did you do? We only encountered one.”

“Well…” Caleb hesitates. “There is a way… but I don’t know how well it will work with a group…”

“What is it?” I lean forward. If there’s something we can do to survive, I’m willing to try anything.

“This worked for me because I’m alone, but you need to either stay on high ground and wait for it to pass, or you pass through it. Second choice is the best bet.”

“You’re insane.” Michael says with wide eyes.

“Neither one of those are safe,” Ryan argues. “If the Lurkers spot you on the roof, they will stick around until you come down, or find a way up to you. And we’re as good as dead if we push through a herd.”

“No one said anything about pushing,” Caleb continues. “Camouflage.”

“What does that mean?” Jack steps forward.

“We need to smell and act like them. They will never know the difference.”

“Stop,” I hold up my hand. “How do we know we can trust him?”

The room gets quiet. I wait for some kind of answer.

“You can’t,” Caleb shrugs. “You either do, or you don’t. But right now, I’m your only chance of getting out of here alive.”

“So, when should we leave?” I ask. I can’t believe I’m about to trust this guy.

“We actually need to wait for the herd to get here. We need a couple of Lurkers to help with the camouflage,” He explains. “We need to use their blood to cover us. After that, we need to move slowly through the herd.  We can’t stick together. We have to kinda spread out.”

“I don’t wanna do this…” Tabby whispers to Gavin. 

Gavin rubs her arm in comfort. “We have to, love.” 

“So, until then, we should start packing our stuff,” Ray nods. “I’ll start looking for things we might use. The basement seems to have some stuff we didn’t fully inspect.”

As Ray starts to walk away, I pull the hood on his hoodie. “Wait,” I stop him. “I’m coming, too. There’s no way you can search for everything by yourself.”

“Alright. Let’s go.” Ray agrees.

I follow behind Ray. Riley smirks at me. 

“Keep an eye on that Caleb guy,” I whisper as I pass. “I don’t trust him.”

“I think someone needs to keep their eye on you,” She remarks. “You’re always the first to volunteer to be around Ray.”

“You shut your mouth.” I warn as I leave the room.

I walk with Ray to the basement in silence. “I’ll go in first,” Ray says as he opens the door. “We haven’t been down here since we moved in. Who knows what could have gotten in there?”

“My hero,” I roll my eyes. “I don’t need you trying to look out for me.”

“Well, that’s too bad. I’ll do it, anyway.” Ray shrugs, walking ahead of me into the basement.

There’s very little lighting. I grasp onto the railing as I follow behind Ray. I wait by the bottom of the steps. The drop in temperature causes me to shiver and zip up my leather jacket. Ray disappears into the shadows. All I can hear is his footsteps against the cold stone ground. Light pours in once Ray pulls back the curtain from the windows. Dust puffs out from the curtains, causing Ray to cough. I take in the sight of the abandoned basement. There are boxes on the floor, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, dust dancing in the light. It’s creepy. It feels like a ghost is hiding somewhere around the corner. Honestly, I think I’d rather deal with ghosts than Biters.

“See anything?” Ray swipes away cobwebs that dangle in his face.

“Not really,” I walk farther into the room. “Let’s take a look into some of these boxes.” I open one box and start digging through its contents. 

“What’s this?” I hear Ray mumble to himself as he walks out of my vision.

We don’t have time for love in a world like this. That’s what I need to keep reminding myself. I wonder what would happen if I met Ray before all of this. Would I still have this pointless feelings?

I push the box aside. There’s nothing useful inside. Just old children’s clothing. I walk farther into the room and pick a new box.

I can hear Ray on the other side of the room, rustling around with something. 

“Anything?” I ask. I get no response. “Ray?” I turn around.

Ray is placing a record onto an old phonograph. “I wonder if it works.” Ray wonders out loud.

“We have more important things to worry about.” I sigh and return back to my search.

I hear some kind of a wind up noise, followed by an old sounding slow song. “It works!” Ray cheers.

“Great…” I keep my back turned. 

I feel a hand gently tug me away. I look up as Ray spins me around and holds me close. “Let’s be cheesy and dance to this shitty music.” Ray chuckles.

“Why would I want to do that?” I pout. I don’t pull away. I allow Ray to (very badly) lead me in dance. We sway side to side and step in circles around the basement floor.

“Because it’s nice to feel human once in a while.” Ray answers.

I try to hide the smile that spreads across my face. We are both terrible dancers, but it doesn’t matter. In his arms, the world melts away, and I don’t mind looking stupid. I close my eyes and rest my head on his chest as he leads me.

“What’s this?” Ray whispers close to my ear. “Is the independent Melody letting her walls down to me?” He teases.

“Fat chance,” I reply in a stubborn voice. “I’ll never give in to you.”

“I never asked for that. You must be thinking of that on your own.” He smirks.

“So what if I am?” I look up. Ray’s face switches to a serious expression. I chuckle to myself. Got him completely off guard. “What if I had been thinking about it, Ray? Maybe I’ve been thinking about you more than I’m supposed to be. What would you do then?”

“I…” Ray gulps. His cheeks begin to glow with red. “I don’t… Have you been thinking about me in that way?”

“Nope,” I shake my head. “I lied.” Serves him right for messing with me that one day. I still haven’t forgiven him for what happened on my Birthday last week.

“Oh.” Ray looks away. 

Maybe I shouldn’t tease him like that.

“Well, well, well,” A voice at the top of the steps taunts. “What is happening down here?”

I look up to find Riley standing at the top of the steps, arms crossed. “Riley.” I back away from Ray.

“You know, everyone knew you two would be cute together. Despite all the fighting.” Riley adds.

“This doesn’t mean anything.” I assure her. 

“Yeah,” Ray grumbles in a low voice. Only I can hear him. “Trust me.”

Why is it okay for him to mess with me, but I can’t do the same? What an asshole.

“Let’s just go back to looking.” I say as Ray turns off the phonograph.

“Don’t stop the party on my account.” Riley jokes as she retreats out of the basement.

I continue my search. There’s nothing important in most of these boxes. However, I did find another gun and some ammo. That could be useful to us. I slip the gun and ammo into my pocket. Maybe I can give it to Tabby. She is the only one without a real gun, after all.

I notice that Ray is no longer speaking to me. “Ray?” I call out. No response. Did I really piss him off? I step away from my search and go to the other side of the room where Ray is.

“I’m busy searching for something useful.” Ray responds blankly.

“Are you mad at me?” I ask.

Ray scoffs. “Mad? Noooo. Why should I be mad?”

“Is that sarcasm?” I cross my arms. “I’d rather you not be mad at me, so if you have something to say, can we talk it out like adults?”

“Oh, she wants to be mature now.” Ray snorts. 

“Stop being mean,” I glare at him. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Can we just forget it?” He avoids eye contact.

“No. We can’t.”

Ray sighs before answering. “You shouldn’t mess with people like that. What if I actually did like you? Which I don’t.” He quickly adds.

“You did the same to me last week!” I remind him. “Why is this any different?”

Ray looks confused. “It’s been exactly a week? It’s the 15th?”

“Uh, I guess?” 

“Hey, it’s my Birthday,” Ray smiles. “And I’m arguing with a grumpy girl who doesn’t know when to shut up.”

“It’s not your Birthday. You’re trying to change the subject.” 

“Why would I lie? I’m not like you. I don’t keep secrets.” Ray shoots back.

“What?! What secrets do I keep?!” I shout.

“Something about Ryan’s past bothered you. You know, about his ex-wife being a whore or whatever. You didn’t want to tell me anything!” Ray says.

“Because it’s none of your business! Why do you care?” I argue.

“Because maybe I care about you,” He looks into my eyes. “I’m actually interested in getting to know more about you, and you make it so fucking impossible for anyone to get close to you!” Ray rants. “You have to be the most infuriating person I’ve ever met! You happen to bring out the worst in me. You see this? We’re fighting. Go upstairs and ask the group. They have never heard me yell or get angry. Not until you came along. You are probably bad for my health, but there’s something that keeps making me try to be on your good side. But heaven forbid if that happens! You have to be this huge loner that doesn’t care!”

I feel myself shrinking back. I have no words.

Ray takes a deep breath before speaking. He’s calm now. “The group teases me a lot because they noticed how I acted around you. It was pretty obvious that I liked you,” Ray admitted. “I don’t care. I like fighting with you. It’s fun. It makes me feel things I try to ignore. But when you pull shit like that and get my hopes up? That’s not fucking fair, Melody.” Ray frowns. He’s serious about this.

“How was I supposed to know you felt like that?” I respond. “That’s not my fault. I’ll avoid flirting with you if it hurts you’re feelings.” I don’t like the words coming from my mouth. It sounds like I don’t care about him…. It’s actually the opposite.

Ray looks away. I can’t believe I said that to him. “Cool. Glad we’re on the same page.” Ray says in a quiet voice.

A gunshots pierce through the silence.

“What’s happening?!” I shout as Ray and I rush upstairs.

“The bandits! They’re closing in!” Geoff yells over the gunshots. Everyone is ducked down. “They’re coming from the woods!”

I crouch down and make my way to the kitchen window and stick out my shotgun. My heart is pounding in my chest.

“No!” Jack yanks my arm and pulls me back. “What are you doing? Someone could get killed!”

“WE could get killed if we don’t do something!” I hiss. I don’t want to hurt anyone… but we have to

“We need to get out of here. Now!” Geoff orders. “Get your bags. We are leaving now.”

“But what about the Sprinters!” Riley argues.

“And Eric.” Ryan jumps in.

“Guys,” Geoff sighs. “We have to go.”

“They’re going to keep shooting at us, Geoff,” I remind him. “If we step foot out there, we could die. We need to shoot back.”

“I’ve gone this long without hurting another human being. I’m not going to start now.” Jack crosses his arm.

“Well, you do that. But I’m going to shoot a mother fucker if someone tries to hurt any of you. Do you understand? These are not nice people! They want to kill us!” I shout. No one else steps forward to help me. “Fine,” I shake my head. “I’ll handle this myself,” No one has the heart to kill someone. I don’t either, to be honest... But someone has to protect us. “Gather more supplies and then hide. Get ready to run out when there’s an opening.” I instruct.

“I’ll help shoot from upstairs. They’ll never know what hit ‘em.” Caleb says, cocking his gun. Maybe I can trust him after all.

The group scatters and I direct my attention to out the window. There they were. A large group of men were coming down from the hills, a few yards away. Looks more than just twenty men. I have to do something, quick.

Mom, if you can see me right now, I’m not a murderer. I’m just protecting my friends. I hope you understand.

I stick out my shotgun. I wait for a clear shot before pulling the trigger. One man goes down, clutching his shoulder. A bullet comes flying over my head. Damn… 

A body rushes beside me. I look over and Ray is reloading his gun. “You think I’d let you be the hero? Think again.” He smirks.

I grin. “I hate you.”

“Yeah,” He nods, aiming his gun out the back door. “I know.”

After a few shots here and there, I’m starting to realize this is useless. There’s only three of us, and it seems like they keep coming out of the woods. We might be in trouble.

“Ray,” I duck under the window. “There’s something I gotta say… In case this goes to hell.”

“Don’t get all negative on me now. We will be fine.” Ray insists.

“Ray, you have to know this,” I clear my throat. “I didn’t mean-”

“Stop!” Caleb shouts from upstairs. “Cease fire!”

I freeze. The urgency in his voice is frightening.

“It’s here!” He says.

“What’s here?!” I shout back.

Caleb rushes back to the downstairs. “The herd.” He whispers. “It’s time to go.”

I begin to tremble. I’ve never seen a herd before. And now we’re supposed to just walk through one. How will we know if this works?

The rest of our group huddles into the kitchen, peeking out the kitchen windows. The bandits that were just shooting at us are now running for their lives, most of them aren’t so lucky.

“I’m going to lure some Lurkers in,” Caleb explains. “We need to cover ourselves, walk slow, and don’t panic. And try not to clump together. We have to spread out.”

“Quick question,” Tabby whispers. “What happens if we get separated?”

“Yeah,” Gavin agrees. “We need a meeting spot.”

“Everyone has a compass,” Geoff reminds us. “Once you’re a safe distance from the herd, try to locate someone near you. Head east.”

“We need to meet somewhere. There’s a church I used to go to when I was a kid,” Caleb suggests. “I hated the place… but at least I’ll know where to go. It’s in the next town over. There’s only once church in the whole town. You can’t miss it.”

“Got it. Head east, look for church,” I repeat. “Everyone ready?”

Caleb opens the kitchen door. He whistles, getting the attention of two Biters. As they get closer, he kicks out their knees, pulls out a dagger, and stabs them in the head.

“I gotta remember that trick.” Riley nods, clearly impressed.

Caleb slices open the Biters. “Okay,” he gulps, digging his hands into the rotten corpse. “You know what to do.”

Completely mortified, we follow Caleb’s lead. He better know what he’s doing. I’m putting my trust in him.

“Ew…. Gross gross gross gross….” Tabby whimpers as Gavin helps coat her clothing in guts.

“Tabs, we have no choice. It will be fine.” I try to keep her relaxed. I can’t have her freaking out. Once Tabby’s out there, she’s on her own. She won’t survive if she panics.

“Good luck to everyone.” Geoff says once everyone is ready.

Hesitant at first, we begin to file out of the house. A few Biters look in our direction. I freeze. Instead of coming our way, they look forward, and keep moving west.

Head east… just keep heading east…

We start to spread out, walking slowly. I lag behind, trying to keep my eye on everyone. So far, so good. I can’t believe this is working. But now is not the time to get cocky. This could go horribly wrong at any time.

I feel myself shake with every step I take. The Biters are so close. They’re just walking the opposite direction of me. It’s strange to see them not coming after me. I try to look ahead. I can’t see the end of the herd. I just gotta keep going forward…

Just ahead of me is Michael. I think I see Caleb not far from us. I’ve lost sight of everyone else. They blend in too well.

Ray, please, be safe. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I exhale when my vision is clear of Biters. I look behind my shoulder. I’m at a safe distance. I made it. I’m alive.

Michael turns around, with the biggest grin I’ve ever seen on his face.

“Holy fucking shit! We lived!” Michael wraps his arms around me, pulling me into a giant hug.

The Biter guts and blood on us causes our clothes to stick together. “We need a shower,” I giggle as we pull away from each other. “Let’s start looking around. See anyone?”

“I think we were the last ones out,” Caleb walks closer to me and Michael. “They were ahead of us. I lost track of them after a while.”

“So, we don’t know who made it out… Great…” My voice cracks. I should be happy. I’m alive. A few months ago, all I would have cared about is if I survived. I wouldn’t care about anyone else. Now, I can’t stop thinking of Riley or Tabby. Or anyone else. I just want them to be safe.

“Let’s not worry yet,” Caleb says. “We have a meeting point, remember? Let’s focus on getting there first.”

I take a deep breath a nod. Ray, you better be okay.

 


	5. Fragile Pt.1

 

 I watch the flames dance in the gentle breeze. We made camp after walking all day. We are nowhere close to the next town.

I hope the others made it out okay. I wonder if any of them grouped back together.

“Melody,” Michael’s voice snaps me out of my thinking. He holds out a granola bar. “You haven’t eaten all day.”

“How do you know that?”

“I noticed you skipped breakfast,” Michael admits. “A lot has happened today. You should at least try to eat.”

“Who are you, and what have you done with Michael?” I tease. “The Michael I know is nowhere near this kind.”

“I get mad because the group made some pretty dumb decisions. But I can relax around you.”

“Is that so?” I unwrap the bar and take a bite.

Michael nods and looks off into the distance. “So, how long do you think Caleb will be gone for?”

“He just left to get some more wood for the fire. Shouldn’t take too long.” I answer. I stare silently into the flames. Did Ray find the others?

“Something wrong?” Michel breaks me from my thoughts. I hadn’t realized I was making a face.

“Uh,” I pause for a moment. “No. Nothing. I’m just… thinking.”

“About?” Michael asks. His response is immediate.

“I’m just….” I shake my head. I don’t do this. I don’t talk about my thoughts. It’s just how I am now. You can never be too careful now a days.

“I’m worried about Gavin.” Michael admits.

“Why is that?”

“Gavin is so…. Different now,” Michael grumbles. “Before you guys came around, he was clumsy and pretty much useless. But now I’m afraid he’ll do something reckless.”

“Protecting Tabby.” I finish his thought.

“Yeah,” Michael sighs. “They’re both not very skilled… I don’t know if they can make it on their own.”

“That’s why they need people like us,” I add. “If we could, we would survive on our own. We need to protect them.”

“People like us,” Michael repeats in a hushed tone. There’s a small smile on his face. “I thought you wouldn’t care. Aren’t we all about keeping ourselves safe?”

“We are,” I nod. “On the surface. You and I both know we would never let anything bad happen to the group.”

“What do you think about Tabby and Gavin being together?” Michael asks, almost randomly.

“Honestly, I feel the same way about them as I do Riley and Ryan. I don’t like it. They’re all just asking for unnecessary pain. But I suppose I can’t fault them for it.” I shrug.

“So…” Michael pauses. “What would you do if someone wanted to be with you?”

He must be talking about Ray. “Why would anyone want to be with me?” I hug my knees to my chest. “I’m stubborn and cold. I’m too realistic to be try and be in some kind of a relationship now.”

“I’m sure there are people who want to be with you...” Michael’s voice trails off.

“Ha,” I scoff. “Look, I know you’re probably talking about Ray. But I’m pretty sure I ruined that. Ray is just caught up in the middle of all the romance that’s going on. He doesn’t really want me. No one would.”

“Ray?” Michael scrunches his eye brows together. “He actually said something to you?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “Isn’t that what you were talking about?”

“Uh,” Michael’s eyes dart away. “Yeah… Of course…”

“Then, why did you seem so surprised?” I tilt my head. “Were you talking about someone else?”

Before I can get any further, Michael stands up, approaching Caleb. “You’re back,” Michael changes the subject. “Find any firewood?”

“I found enough that can get us through the night,” Caleb answers. “I can take first watch. Why don’t you two get some sleep? It’s been a long day.”

“Caleb, no. You went looking for wood. You must be tired. I can take the first watch.” I offer.

“I’m used to being alone. I don’t get much sleep. I’m more worried about you folks. Please, rest. I’ll let you take the next watch.” Caleb states.

“Stop it. I got first watch. You earned some rest, Melody,” Michael insists. “You’re always looking out for everyone else. Now’s your chance to take it easy.”

“Ha. Take it easy?” I repeat as I lay on the ground. “Hasn’t happened for three years.”

Michael and Caleb remain silent. Perhaps they realize I’m right.

\--------------

I wake up shivering. The cool morning air is certainly not kind to us today. If the temperature keeps dropping, we may need to find a warm place to hide.

I open my eyes. Michael is laying close to me. Too close, actually. He must be cold.

“Michael,” I nudge him awake. “Sun’s up. Time to go.”

Michael’s eyes flutter open. “Huh?” He mumbles.

I decide not to address my personal space being invaded. It was a cold night. Who can blame him? “We need to get to the church. The group is waiting for us.”

“We hope…” Michael frowns. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You’re right. We don’t know who’s there.” I respond with the sudden realization that he is right; Ray might not be there. For all I know, he’s already….

I don’t even want to think about it.

“Okay,” Caleb pushes himself off the ground and stretches. “Let’s get going.”

Michael helps me stand and Caleb leads the way. Michael slows his pace to walk beside me. I have no idea why.

“How far is this place?” Michael asks after we reach a town.

“We should get there by nightfall,” Caleb responds. “We just need to keep moving-” He freezes, listening intently on something. “We need to hide.”

“What?”

“We need to hide. Now!” Caleb takes off.

Michael and I exchange glances before dashing after him.

“What’s the problem?” I growl.

“Lurkers. And I don’t think we have enough scent to trick them this time.” Caleb responds.

I stop running and peek ahead.

A cluster of Biters are a good distance ahead, blocking our path. It seems they haven’t seen us yet.

“Shit,” I huff. “Can’t we catch a break?”

“Can’t we fight those?” Michael suggests.

“Waste ammo? Draw attention? No. It’s best that we let them pass,” Caleb explains, stopping near a run- down hospital. “Here!” He tries to push the doors open, but they don’t budge.

“Let me try,” I pat him on the shoulder and he steps aside. I jiggle the slender metal handles. The doors aren’t locked. Something is blocking the doors. “There must be people hiding here… Or at least, there used to be. All entrances are going to be barricaded.”

“What should we do?” Michael asks. “Should we find a new building, or try to break into this one?”

“We should decide quickly. Before those Lurkers spot us.” Caleb reminds me.

Hmm… an old hospital… Most likely, people have used this for refuge at some point. What if they’re still here? People can be dangerous, whether they’re alive or turned into Biters.

Also, there could be some supplies. Sure, it’s been three years since the Outbreak, so leftovers will be unlikely. But it doesn’t hurt to try…

Are supplies worth the risk of getting bit or shot? We don’t know what’s inside.

I shake my head. “Let’s not-”

“Get down!” Caleb hisses.

Instinctively, we do what he says, ducking behind some bushes. Caleb is turning out to be useful. He’s catching onto danger before I can realize what’s going on.

Michael parts the leaves. “There’s… a man.” He reports.

“What’s happening?” Caleb whispers.

“Hold on,” Michael says in an irritated tone. “He’s running towards us… No, he ran to the side of the building. There has to be a way in over there.”

So, there are people hiding here. They must have some supplies. This may be worth it, after all. “Let’s check it out.” I start to stand, only to be pulled back by Michael.

“Stay here. I’ll go.” He says.

“No.” I start to argue.

“What’s the use of all of us getting hurt? I’ll go. If something happens to me, then run.” Caleb jumps in.

“Wait!” Michael protests.

“You two are part of a group. Your people will be waiting for you. I have nothing to lose.” Caleb reasons.

Reluctant, Michael nods. “Okay… just be careful.”

“Careful is my middle name.” Caleb grins before hopping out of the bushes.

“I really doubt that.” Michael calls after him.

I peek out as Caleb disappears around the corner. I really hope he’ll be okay.

“Hey, Melody?” Michael clears his throat.

“Yeah?” I answer, not taking my eyes away from the outside. I need to stay focused.

“Let’s just run.” Michael gulps.

I tear my attention away. “What?” I raise my voice. “We can’t just leave him. We should see what happens, first.”

“No…. not just him. We should just… go.”

“Go where? What about the group?”

“We don’t need them. We can survive, just the two of us. You said it yourself. Remember? People like us know how to survive,” Michael continues. “I know we can make it out of this alive. We shouldn’t let the others drag us down.”

He’s right. We could survive on our own. “Just the two of us?”

Michael nods. “We can give it a shot. Staying in a group will only put us in harm’s way.”

Again, he’s right. What’s stopping me from just leaving with him?

“What about Ray?” The words escape my lips before I can stop them.

Michael narrows his eyes. “What about him?”

A whistle catches our attention. I peek outside. Caleb is waving us over. “We have to go.” I crawl out.

“This is a mistake.” I hear Michael mumble as he crawls out behind me.

“You can go by yourself if you want to leave so badly.” I hiss. Nothing is going to stop me from getting to the church. I need to see who made it out alive.

Michael ceases all arguments, only mumbling under his breath as Caleb approaches.

“I’m assuming he jumped or scaled the wall or something. See that ladder?” Caleb points up. “By the time I peeked around the corner, he was crawling through that window. It seems that all access to the lower level is cut off,” Caleb explains. “But I wonder why? Why not just unblock a door and block it back when they’re done?”

“Maybe it’s too much work?” Michael suggests. “We should just go. I don’t like this.”

“What about supplies?” Caleb interjects. “It’s hard to come by now.”

“He’s got a point…” I agree in a voice just above a whisper.

“You can’t be serious!” Michael growls.

“Hush. They’ll hear us.” Caleb scolds.

“You want the supplies so bad, then go get them. Melody and I are leaving.” Michael crosses his arms.

“Give me a boost.” I’m sure Tabby has gotten hurt somehow by now.

“What?!” Michael’s widen.

I can hardly believe that the words are coming out of my mouth. I don’t even know what’s come over me. At this moment, I just… don’t care. “I can be in and out. All I want to do is check for supplies.”

“This is suicide!” Michael protests as Caleb locks his hands together.

“Ready?” Caleb kneels down.

I prop my foot into his hands. “Ready.”

“I don’t like this,” Michael continues. “Melody-”

“Quiet. Your whining will alert these people.” Caleb whispers.

Caleb hoists me up. With a small hop from the boost, I grasp the ladder.

“Melody,” Michael says with a firm tone. I peek down at him. “Please be safe.” He nods.

“I’ll be quick.” I promise as I slip into the window.

A distinct smell of mold hits me as I pass through the window. With caution, I proceed forward. It absolutely used to be a hospital. Tattered sheets and aged, torn pages liter the hallways. Hospital gurneys are tossed around in different directions, in what looks like an attempt to create a maze or road block. Dust circles in the air. The walls are old and decayed.

I hear footsteps coming my way, so I duck into a room.

“Do they really think they can break in here?”

“I’m more surprised that they don’t know that we are waiting for them.”

I don’t recognize either of these voices. I sneak into a wardrobe and leave the door cracked open.

I can see two men pass by the room. Both men have dark hair. They seem to be heading towards the window I came into.

“Wade, did you leave this window open?”

“No, I swear!” The man, Wade, protests.

Oops. How could I have been so careless?

“You have to be more careful,” The second man sighs. “…Hold on…” He sounds more panicked. “There were three of them. Where’s the girl?”

Shit.

“We need to warn the others.”

“Wait,” Wade says. “Maybe not. We have no idea where she is. Maybe she left. Just because the window is open, doesn’t mean she’s inside.”

“….Shut up, Wade.”

“Why does everyone always say that?!” He groans as they run past the room.

I slip out of my hiding place. Michael was right. I should have never came inside.

I rush to the window and climb out.

“Guys! Run! They know we’re here!” I call down to Michael and Caleb as I rush to the ledge. I freeze in my tracks as I see that they have already been captured by a group of men. They are knocked out, cold. I back up, hoping they didn’t hear or see me.

“We have two of them, Mark.” The man has an Irish accent. I hear a muffled voice over the radio, responding to the Irish man. “There were supposed to be three? Are you sure? I don’t see a girl here.”

“I think he’s trying to say that one of them is loose. We should try to find her.” A man responds.

I peek down to inspect the men. One man is chubbier with glasses, the Irish man is slightly shorter, with a delicate frame, and the third man is very tall with curly, wild hair.

I can’t decide if these men are dangerous or not.

“Mark,” The man with glasses takes the radio. “We’re going to bring the men inside to Arin. You and Wade just look for the girl.”

“Sounds like a plan,” The tall string bean man replies. “But what exactly are we going to do with them?”

“You know what happened the last time we didn’t handle a situation.” The Irish man says.

“Jon is harmless! He didn’t mean to get Ross killed.” The chubby man reasons.

“I know he didn’t! But he shouldn’t have let that traveler in! We all knew he was bitten.”

“It was the right thing to do, man. What did you want us to say?” The tall man shrugs.

“There is no right and wrong anymore, dude,” The short Irish man argues. “It’s nothing personal. It’s just survival. Ross wouldn’t have been bitten if we sent the traveler on his way. We need to start…. Taking drastic actions.”

“Fuck, man,” The tall man sighs. “I really don’t have the heart to do this….”

“Dan, we have to.” The Irish man pleas. “If anything happens to Mark…”

“I know, man. I get it.”

What the fuck have I done?

I… I should go back into that wardrobe, right? There are no other options.

No. Don’t be stupid Melody. Think! Maybe you can outrun them. No… I can’t leave Michael and Caleb behind. I have to do something.

I head back inside. There has to be a place I can hide to get around them, save the boys, and then we can leave. I just want to get back to Riley and Tabby. And Ray…

I adjust a sheet over a gurney perfecting, giving me plenty of room to hide under. I sit on a metal platform at the bottom of the gurney, and wait… and wait…

“You don’t think she’s hiding near here, do you?” I hear the first two men coming back.

“I dunno. Let’s start checking some rooms.”

I hear the footsteps stop near me. “Hey, Mark…”

“Yeah?” The man, Mark answers.

“You don’t think… We should kill them, do you?”

“Kill them?” Mark sounds disgusted at the very thought. “Absolutely not!”

“Then what are we supposed to do? Remember when Ross-”

“I remember, Wade.” Mark interrupts him.

“I’m sorry…. I just know that-”

“Wade,” Mark interrupts once again. “Jon was only trying to do the right thing. Sure, we should have executed the plan better, but being kind is what separates us from those monsters. I would never kill in the life we once had. I’m sure as hell not doing it now.”

“Mark…” Wade whispers. “What about Dan?”

“I will protect Dan the same as I’ve protected all of you. Nothing is going to happen to him.”

“He’s getting weaker, you know.”

“I don’t need to be reminded. Thank you.” Mark states, in a passive aggressive manner. “Can we just find the girl? I just want to get them out of here.”

“Okay, buddy.” Wade seems to be backing off on the subject.

What happened to this Ross guy? And what does Mark have to with Dan? And who is Jon? What’s the story with him?

I hear their footsteps start to walk away from me and disappear into a room, leaving the hallway empty. I use my hands on the floor to push the gurney forward. The wheels are rusted, causing a loud, audible squeal.

“That came from out here!” Wade leads.

“Sean, is that you? Arin?”

“What if it’s that girl?”

Okay, I have a decision to make, I can either run, or just stay hidden.

“She somewhere here. Wade, go check near the reception desk.” Mark orders. I hear hurried footsteps stomp past me.

They don’t know where I am. So staying hidden seems like a good choice.

“Nothing.” Wade reports.

However, they will have to find me eventually.

“We need to check the rest of the rooms.” Wade suggests.

“No,” Mark says. “She’s out here. We heard her. She’s hiding.”

I have to do something fast.

“Miss,” Mark calls out. “My name is Mark. This is my friend, Wade. We don’t want to hurt you.”

“Mark, what the hell are you doing?”

“Well, she already knows we’re here. We weren’t exactly quiet while looking for her,” Mark reasons. “Miss, we have your friends. They’re on level two with my friends Arin and Sean. I would like to talk to you face to face, please.”

“Mark, this isn’t going to work.”

“Please, miss,” I hear some kind of metal being placed down. “I’m unarmed.”

“Mark, what the hell?!”

“Wade, put your gun on the ground, please.”

“This is so stupid!” I hear Wade protest, yet I hear him put his weapon down.

“Trust me,” Mark says in a soothing tone. “Miss, we just want to talk. You’re here for supplies, right? Maybe we can talk.”

“We are so going to get killed….” I hear Wade whine.

Supplies… Someone in the group may be hurt. I need to get something to bring back to the church.

I take a deep breath before my surrender. I lift the sheet to reveal myself.

I get a better look at the two men. One is a Caucasian man with bigger ears, while the other is an Asian man with glasses.

“Hello there,” The Asian man, whose voice I recognize as Mark, smiles. “Care to have a nice chat?”

With caution, I step out from under the gurney. “No tricks. I want to be taken to my friends.”

“What is your name, Miss?”

“Melody.” I cross my arms. Mark is a handsome man, but I will not fall for any tricks.

They pick their weapons back up and I reach for my pocket knife.

“Hold on, we are just bringing them with us. We will not hurt you.” Mark says in a hushed tone.

My heart is pounding. How can I know if I can trust these men? “Are my friends alright?”

“Want to speak to them?” Mark offers. He pulls out a radio. “Arin, we found the girl. She wants to talk to her friends.”

“Is that a good idea?” A voice responds.

“It’s fine.” Mark assures him and hands me the radio.

“Uh….” I stammer. “Hello?”

“Melody? Is that you? Where are you?” I recognize that panicked, angry voice anywhere.

“I’m fine, Michael. I’m on the floor above you. I’m coming now. Let me speak to Caleb.”

“Melody,” Caleb answers. “I’m here.”

“Are you guys alright?”

“Well, Mr. Hothead over here kept fighting so they have us tied up.”

Muffled, I hear Michael argue. “Who’re you calling a hothead?!”

“Just hold tight. I’m on my way now!” I hand the radio back to Mark.

“We’ll be here.” Caleb answers. I get the sense he was trying to make a joke.

“You tied up my friends.” I accuse.

“We had to. We were never going to hurt them,” Mark assures. “I can take you to them.”

“Please do.” I snap. “I would like to get my boys out of here now.”

“I understand.” Mark nods. “Please follow me.”

“What about supplies? I ask as I follow. “You said we were going to talk.”

“We can’t really offer much,” Mark admits. “You see, we have a sick team member on our hands. We need all the supplies we can get.”

“So what about us?”

“Well, seeing as you broke in,” Wade mumbles as we walk down stairs. “I’d say you three are lucky that we aren’t hurting you.”

“Wade.” Mark warns.

“Excuse me?” I growl.

“What do you expect?!” Wade shouts. “You broke in to steal from us. You expect us to just give you our supplies? We worked hard to find them!”

“Let’s calm down.” Mark says.

“We have a big group,” I explain. “We got separated from them! If we meet back up with them, someone might be hurt. We need supplies.”

“Listen, lady. This isn’t our problem.” Wade snaps.

“Chill, man!” Mark grits his teeth. He calms down before addressing me. “I’m sure we can work something out, Miss.”

He knows my name. Why is he still addressing me as Miss?

We exit the stairwell. “Your friends are in this room.” Mark continues to lead into the room.

Michael and Caleb are sitting next to each other on the floor. A man with a short ponytail stands nearby. The Irish man from earlier is also in the room.

I’m relieved to see my boys safe.

“Melody.” Michael’s face lights up.

“Arin, this is Melody. Melody, this is Arin,” Mark points to the man with the ponytail. “And this is Sean. Sometimes we refer to him as Jack.” Mark points to the Irish man.

Neither one looks excited to see me. But then again, Wade is right. We did try to steal from them.

“I’m going to go check on Dan.” Mark offers.

“We’ll come, too.” Sean offers.

Arin and Sean leave the room with Wade. Mark stops and turns around to speak. “I’ll be back with a nice little supply package. I can’t promise much, but I won’t let you all leave empty handed.”

Mark closes the door behind him. I take a deep breath. I’m with Michael and Caleb. I feel a bit safer.

Before I can speak, I hear keys rattling and a click. I start to hear a muffled argument.

“What are you doing?!” I hear Mark protest.

“Come on, dude! We can’t just leave them alone. We should have a real discussion about what needs to happen here.” This is a new voice. I’m assuming it’s Arin.

“We are not those things,” Marks pleads. “We are so much better than the Biters. Some kindness will go a long way with us.”

Biters? They’re from California like me.

“We need to have a group discussion.” Sean says. “If we let them go, what if they come back?”

“She did say she has a big group.” Wade adds.

“That’s not what she meant!”

“Mark, it seems that you’re the only one against this.” Sean points out.

“We can’t lose any more people,” Arin argues. “I’ve had it! First Suzy, then Ross, and then we had to kick Jon out. I’m not going to let anything happen to anyone else! Especially Dan.”

“Leave him out of this!” Mark shouts. “Dan is going to be fine.”

“He’s my best friend,” Arin responds. “I will do anything to protect him.”

“I don’t like that you’re assuming my way won’t protect him.” Mark growls.

“It won’t, Mark!” Sean retorts. “It’s not only about Dan. It’s about all of us. And what about you?”

“Don’t you all worry about me,” Mark says. “I’m just trying to help!”

I hear footsteps as their voices start to fade. They walked away from the door to discuss some more.

“We’re dead! Melody, untie us and I’ll burst down the door!” Michael tries to wiggle out of his restraints.

“Hold it, Hothead,” Caleb uncrosses his arms from behind his back. “Once we untie you, you have to keep your cool until we figure out a plan.”

“How the fuck did you get out?” Michael demands.

“I cut myself out. Easy,” Caleb shrugs. “Did you forget that you had a knife?”

“Just get me out.” Michael grumbles.

I take out my knife and walk behind Michael to start cutting him free. Caleb walks closer to the door, to inspect it.

“Thank you, Melody.” Michael says. “It’s good to see you.”

“We weren’t apart that long.” I giggle.

“Still,” Michael huffs. “I just thought… Something happened to you…”

“You were worried.”

“Of course I was. I thought I wasn’t going to see you again,” Michael mummers. Once his hands are free, he rubs his wrists. “And I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” Michael turns to face me. “And there’s something I have to tell-”

“Hey,” Caleb interrupts. “This looks like an old door. Perhaps we can kick it down.”

“Dammit, Caleb! Kinda busy here!” Michael growls. He turns back to me. “Melody, I don’t know how you do what you do. You’re so smart and strong…” Michael clears his throat. “I think I really-”

The door knob jiggles. “Hey, why is this locked?” A voice mumbles from the other side of the door. Keys rattle, and then the tall, skinny man with wild from earlier steps through the door. He looks surprised to see us. “Oh. Shit.” Instead of backing out of the room, like any normal person would, he invites himself in and shuts the door behind him. “How’s it going?”

“How’s it going?” Michael scoffs. “You guys trapped us here.”

“You were the ones who broke in.” He reminds us. He’s not being defensive.

“Yeah, well we would like to leave now.” I step forward.

The tall man’s demeanor is suddenly different. His relaxed look is now slightly nervous once I step forward. He offers a smile. “But you guys just got here.” He argues. “My name is Dan. What’s your name?”

“Melody,” I answer reluctantly. What is it with this group and asking what my name is? “Is there any way we can leave? We have to find out friends.”

He’s eyes widen. “Outside?”

I nod.

“It’s dangerous out there. You’ve seen the Biters, right?” Dan asks. “It’s safe here. We’ve been here for almost a year now and no Biter has found us… Well… there was that one incident… But we took care of it,” He averts his eyes. “We took care of it…” He repeats. He shakes his head. “It’s not safe. Don’t you want to feel safe?”

“Of course,” I nod once more. “But I have a group to think about they need us.” Hmm… Dan, huh? This is the sick one right?

“I understand,” He scratches the back of his neck. “Uh, I didn’t mean to barge in. I just need to get some water for my medicine.”

He walks to a closet and starts rummaging through.

“You keep your prisoners near your water supply?” Caleb questions.

“They clearly didn’t think that through,” Dan admits. “But you didn’t really do anything with it.”

“How do you know we still won’t?” I tease.

Dan smirks. “I guess we’re just going to keep you around longer and make you find us more water, then.”

“So what kind of medicine are you taking?” I can’t help but ask.

“Pain meds.” Dan answers Very vague.

“Dan,” I give him time to take his pills. “We would really like it if you were to help us out. We have to get back to our group,” Dan doesn’t appear to be listening. “I have friends in that group. Two of them have been with me since the beginning of this outbreak,” I try to reason. “They need me…” I take a deep breath before continuing. “And I need them.”

Dan bites his lip. Perhaps I am getting through to him.

“Don’t you know what it’s like? Did you lose your best friend to this nightmare?”

“Yes,” Dan whispers. “I did. And I wish I could see him. But something in me envies him. He escaped this hell. And I’m still here.”

“Help me,” I plea. “Let us go. We won’t bother you again. I just want to get to my friends.”

“I…” Dan avoids eye contact. “I… I’ll help. Let me just figure out a plan.”

Before we can finish the conversation, Mark walks in. He looks surprised to find Dan here. “Dan,” Mark looks around the room. “I was looking for you. I was bringing your water.”

“I got it. Thanks.” Dan raises his water bottle.

“You shouldn’t be walking around,” Mark approaches. “You should be resting.”

“But if I rest too much, I’ll be weak from laying down. I’m fine, buddy.” Dan promises.

“You three,” Mark turns to us, frowning. “This isn’t my decision, but we have to keep you here a bit longer.”

“No, that doesn’t work for me!” I step forward. “I’m sorry that we broke in, but we really need to go!”

“It’s nice here,” Mark weakly smiles. “We have some food, fresh water, a safe place from Biters. What else could you ask for?”

“My group.” I growl.

“We need to leave.” Michael steps forward in a threatening manner.

Mark backs up. “Wait, you two were tied up.”

“We’re leaving. Whether you like it, or not!” Michael shouts.

Dan hustles to jump in front of Michael, to block him from Mark.

A loud bang snaps me out of the scene unfolding before me. Sean is standing behind Mark, shaking, with a pistol in his hands

“I….” He whispers. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Did you just shoot at my friend?!” I shout.

“Melody,” Michael sounds panicked. I whip my head to face him. Michael has blood splatters on his pant leg. “Dan…” Dan is wobbling. Michael is struggling to hold him up. “I got you, dude. Hold on.”

I examine further. There is a considerable amount of blood on the back of Dan’s thigh. My mind begins to process what happened. Michael wasn’t hit. Dan was.


End file.
